The Justice Department has ordered federal prosecutors to target state and local officials who resist the administration’s planned mass deportation campaign, adding to President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown just days after taking office. This shows that things are escalating dramatically.
In documents obtained by The Washington Post and The Associated Press, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emile Bove told prosecutors across the country that “sanctuary” jurisdictions have “detained” illegal immigrants or withheld immigration information. The authorities have been investigated and, in some cases, have been ordered to file criminal charges. From federal authorities.
“Federal law prohibits state and local officials from resisting or obstructing lawful immigration-related orders,” said Bove, a former Trump defense attorney who represented Trump in recent criminal proceedings. Disobedience is prohibited.”
According to the memo, the Justice Department created a Sanctuary Cities Enforcement Task Force to identify local laws that impede President Trump’s immigration policies, while also directing the civil division to challenge those policies in court. . Refusal to prosecute cases involving “resistance, obstruction, or other noncompliance” must be reported to department leadership as an “emergency.”
“Federal law prohibits state and local governments from resisting, interfering with, or disobeying lawful immigration-related orders,” the document reads.
This new, aggressive stance will set up an immediate conflict with Democratic-led cities like Chicago, which recently reaffirmed the limits of cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Some sanctuary jurisdictions are working with ICE to remove serious criminals from prison, while others say widespread deportations destabilize communities and prevent immigrants from reporting crimes. claims.
The order follows President Trump’s pledge to launch “the largest domestic deportation operation in U.S. history,” backed by an executive order mobilizing agencies across the federal government, including the Department of Defense, to crack down on immigration. President Trump also vowed to send more than 100 law enforcement officers to Chicago.
The Justice Department’s order comes amid a series of far-reaching immigration measures being planned. Trump administration officials briefed reporters earlier this week on a series of executive orders, including an attempt to eliminate birthright citizenship for the children of immigrants and asylum seekers, calling into question longstanding constitutional interpretations. , and will likely face review by the Supreme Court.
This marks a sharp reversal from Joe Biden’s unsuccessful push for Congress to provide a path to citizenship for some of America’s estimated 11 million illegal immigrants. All of these could be subject to removal under President Trump’s new order.
