Attorney raises broader concerns after mayor admits to acting as Chinese agent in shocking case
Attorney Katie Zacharia sounded the alarm Tuesday after a California mayor agreed to plead guilty to acting as an agent of the Chinese government, warning the case could be just the tip of the iceberg.
"There needs to be a wholesale review of not just legal permanent residents, but people who are here from adversarial countries..." Zacharia said on "Fox & Friends First."
"There has to be a complete takedown of these green card holders, and they need to be sent back home," she added.
Zacharia's concerns came after the Justice Department announced that Eileen Wang, former mayor of Arcadia, California, had been charged with acting as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China.
CALIFORNIA MAYOR ACCUSED OF SECRETLY WORKING FOR CHINA, SPREADING PROPAGANDA WHILE IN OFFICE: FEDS
Wang agreed to plead guilty to the felony offense, insisting the decision was "personal in nature" and "does not reflect [her] love and commitment to Arcadia, which will always remain strong."
She now faces up to 10 years in federal prison along with a potential $250,000 fine, though any sentence would be determined by a federal judge.
Zacharia, however, finds the prospect of 10 years appalling.
"That's actually kind of offensive as a United States citizen," she said.
"This person was acting as a foreign agent on behalf of the CCP. There should be no grace. They literally should be sent back to the People's Republic of China."
Per previous reporting, federal prosecutors said Wang admitted she acted "at the direction and control" of Chinese government officials from at least 2020 through 2022, coordinating with individuals in the U.S. to spread pro-Beijing messaging without notifying the U.S. attorney general as required by law.
The described conduct occurred before Wang took office on the Arcadia City Council in December 2022.
Local officials said Wang's conduct has no impact on city operations.
Fox News' Stepheny Price and Matt Finn contributed to this report.