Official announcements from the U.S. Department of Justice or major news outlets reporting on legal actions

Trump's Justice Department Orders Prosecution of Officials Obstructing Mass Deportation Efforts

Jan 22, 2025, 03:05 PM

The U.S. Justice Department has directed federal prosecutors to investigate and potentially prosecute state and local officials who obstruct or resist federal immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. According to a memo dated Tuesday and issued by Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, prosecutors are instructed to "take all lawful steps to investigate" state and local actors who impede the administration's immigration policies, including mass deportation efforts. The memo emphasizes that "federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting, obstructing, and otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands and requests." Additionally, the Justice Department plans to challenge sanctuary laws in court and has ordered FBI terrorism task forces to assist in locating undocumented immigrants. This move signals an aggressive stance on immigration enforcement and raises the prospect of criminal charges for officials who do not cooperate with federal authorities.