‘Any sanctuary jurisdiction … can either come to the table or see us in court,’ Lawyer Basic Pam Bondi wrote.
Lawyer Basic Pam Bondi on Aug. 14 despatched demand letters to states, counties, and cities thought of sanctuary jurisdictions for his or her insurance policies limiting or prohibiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
“Any sanctuary jurisdiction that continues to put illegal aliens ahead of American citizens can either come to the table or see us in court,” Bondi wrote in a publish on X.
She mentioned sending the letters was “a key step in our strategic effort to eradicate sanctuary policies from California to New York.”
A sanctuary jurisdiction is a jurisdiction the place native or state regulation enforcement companies refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
Bondi’s publish included an instance of the letters addressed to California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“For too long, so-called sanctuary jurisdiction policies have undermined this necessary cooperation and obstructed federal immigration enforcement, giving aliens cover to perpetrate crimes in our communities and evade the immigration consequences that federal law requires,” Bondi wrote.
The letter signifies that officers or officers who help in finishing up sanctuary insurance policies could also be topic to particular person legal legal responsibility, rising the stakes for noncompliance.
“Individuals operating under the color of law, using their official position to obstruct federal immigration enforcement efforts and facilitating or inducing illegal immigration may be subject to criminal charges,” Bondi wrote.
She mentioned that DOJ and U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace personnel have been instructed to “investigate incidents involving any such potential unlawful conduct and … where supported by the evidence, prosecute violations of federal laws.”
Earlier in August, the Division of Justice (DOJ) launched a listing of alleged sanctuary jurisdictions.
The DOJ mentioned that such jurisdictions had been outlined by their endorsement of “actions and policies that materially impede enforcement of federal immigration statutes and regulations” within the space.
President Donald Trump has criticized such jurisdictions, threatening penalties for continued refusal to adjust to the regulation.
In April, Trump in an government order referred to as for the creation of a listing of jurisdictions thought of sanctuary jurisdictions, writing that “some State and native officers … proceed to make use of their authority to violate, impede, and defy the enforcement of Federal immigration legal guidelines.
“It is imperative that the Federal Government restore the enforcement of United States law,” the manager order mentioned.
A listing of such jurisdictions was initially launched by the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) in Could.
Nonetheless, DHS eliminated the record from its web sites after sheriffs and native regulation enforcement officers criticized it as having been “created without any input, criteria of compliance, or a mechanism for how to object to the designation.”
The DOJ included 12 states along with the District of Columbia, 4 counties, and 18 cities in its record of alleged sanctuary jurisdictions.
In distinction to the record launched by DHS, which threatened lack of federal funding for noncompliance, the DOJ solely said that it’ll proceed court docket motion towards native authorities included within the record.
The 12 states listed within the DOJ launch embody California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
The counties embody Baltimore County, Maryland; Cook dinner County, Illinois; San Diego County, California; and San Francisco County, California.
The cities embody a number of main American inhabitants facilities, together with Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York Metropolis, Philadelphia, Seattle, and San Francisco. Additionally listed are Albuquerque, New Mexico; Berkeley, California; East Lansing, Michigan; Hoboken, Jersey Metropolis, Newark, Paterson, all in New Jersey; Portland, Oregon; and Rochester, New York.
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