ON FOX FIRSTA conservative legal group is putting US ‘sanctuary’ jurisdictions on notice ahead of an expected US mass deportation. incoming Trump administration.
America First Legal says it has notified nearly 250 officials in jurisdictions that limit or prohibit local law enforcement’s cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that there may be legal consequences for interfering with the FBI or hiding illegal immigrants.
President-elect Trump has pledged to launch a “historic” deportation campaign during his time in office, and his transition team has already taken concrete steps toward that goal. America First Legal’s president is Stephen Miller, who will serve as deputy chief of staff for policy in the Trump White House.
President-elect Donald Trump speaks at AmericaFest, Sunday, December 22, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scooteri)
But a number of Democratic officials in Arizona, Colorado, California and Massachusetts, among others, have said they will not participate in the operation. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, has hinted there could be legal consequences for those who stand in the way of the operation.
Advocates of sanctuary policies argue that local jurisdictions cannot be forced to help the government, and that blocking ICE cooperation encourages otherwise law-abiding illegal immigrants to cooperate with police and report crimes, making the area safer. Opponents say the policy results in criminals who would otherwise be deportable being released back onto the streets.
message from AFL A letter to the 249 officials says the federal government has ultimate authority over immigration, and points to clauses in federal law that prohibit state and local governments from restricting communications with DHS about immigration status, and that conceal it , housing or protecting an illegal immigrant an obligation. federal crime.
The group argues that sanctuary policies can therefore lead to criminal liability, and victims of illegal immigrant crime may be able to seek compensation.
“We have identified your jurisdiction as one sanctuary jurisdiction that violates federal law. Such lawlessness exposes you and your subordinates to a significant risk of criminal and civil liability. Accordingly, we are sending this letter to inform you of this risk and urge you to comply with the laws of our country,” the letter said.
The group is also launching a new website which gives users a map of “sanctuary strongholds,” which identifies jurisdictions with sanctuary policies and provides contact information for elected officials.
REVERE, MA. – SEPTEMBER 25: ICE agents make arrests on September 25, 2019 in Revere, Massachusetts. (Staff photo by Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)
The group also announced that it has also filed a petition with the DOJ’s Office of Violence Against Women to collect data on citizenship status and nationality information against those accused of a range of crimes against women and children, including domestic violence, murder and child abuse. In addition, it submits requests to officials, including mayors and governors across the U.S., for information about organizations it believes are undermining federal immigration enforcement.
In a statement, America First Legal Senior Vice President Reed D. Rubenstein noted the recent developments arrest of an illegal immigrant in New York City in connection with the death of a woman who was set on fire and burned as “another reminder that open borders and sanctuary jurisdictions are sheer madness.”
“The left-wing politicians who create and run them, and those who support them, are endangering our citizens, undermining our Constitution and dangerously eroding the rule of law. America First Legal will continue to work tirelessly to protect and support our immigration laws, and the brave men and women enforcing these actions are just the first step in our fight against lawlessness in sanctuary cities,” said Rubenstein.
The new announcements shine a spotlight on what could be a fierce battle between the Trump administration and its allies, and Democrats and left-wing activists over the deportation push and how much it can be resisted at the state and local level.
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Some have redoubled their opposition, with the Boston City Council recently voting to limit cooperation with ICE and ban police from holding migrants in custody for possible deportation unless there is a criminal warrant.
The solution The proposal adopted by the council states that “proposals for mass deportations constitute a direct attack on Boston’s immigrant families and threaten to tear communities apart.”
However, some Democratic officials have signaled a willingness to work with the new administration. Homan met with New York City Mayor Eric Adams last week to discuss areas of possible cooperation, including the deportation of violent illegal immigrant criminals. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also said he wanted “violent criminals who are undocumented and convicted of violent crimes” deported and said he would welcome a meeting with Homan.
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Fox News reported this month on new data provided to Congress showing this to be the case 1.4 million non-citizens who have a deportation order but are not currently in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention.
