President Trump’s Department of Justice is wasting no time in going after state and local officials who are standing in the way of his mass deportation efforts. With the DOJ now fully under his control, the administration is taking aim at Democratic politicians across the country who have been shielding illegal immigrants through obstructive policies that hinder federal immigration enforcement.
On Tuesday, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove—Trump’s trusted legal ally—issued a memo that laid out the administration’s plan to prosecute those who interfere with deportations. The memo announced the creation of a “Sanctuary Cities Enforcement Working Group” within the DOJ’s Civil Group, which will identify and challenge any local laws that conflict with Trump’s immigration agenda.
According to Bove, state and local officials are constitutionally required under the Supremacy Clause to comply with federal immigration laws, and those who refuse could face criminal prosecution. Under federal law, obstructing or defrauding the U.S. government carries a prison sentence of up to five years. In other words, the days of Democratic mayors and governors openly defying federal immigration policy without consequences are officially over.
ICE, which lacks the manpower to single-handedly deport the millions of illegal immigrants Trump has promised to remove, relies heavily on cooperation from local law enforcement. Bove emphasized that partnerships with local authorities are critical and warned that non-compliance would not be tolerated. “The Justice Department’s responsibility” includes “aggressive enforcement of laws enacted by Congress,” Bove wrote, signaling a major escalation in the fight against sanctuary jurisdictions.
Trump’s hardline stance on immigration has strong public backing—55% of Americans support his plan for mass deportations, according to a recent New York Times poll. But that hasn’t stopped Democratic mayors in cities like Denver, Chicago, and Boston from vowing to resist federal immigration authorities. Trump’s Border Czar, Tom Homan, has made it clear that local officials who actively obstruct enforcement efforts could face arrest and prosecution for aiding and abetting illegal immigration, a federal crime.
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security announced its own set of new enforcement measures on Tuesday, including arrests in previously “off-limits” locations such as schools and churches—spaces where illegal immigrants have historically sought refuge without fear of detention.
With Trump back in the White House, his administration is making it crystal clear: sanctuary policies are no longer tolerated, and those who defy federal law will face serious consequences. The fight against illegal immigration is just getting started, and local officials standing in the way are officially on notice.
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