Trump's Justice Department Orders Prosecutors to Target Officials Obstructing Immigration Enforcement

Jan 22, 2025, 02:22 PM

The U.S. Justice Department, under the Trump administration, has directed federal prosecutors nationwide to investigate and potentially prosecute state and local officials who obstruct federal immigration enforcement efforts, including those in sanctuary cities. According to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press, Reuters, and Bloomberg Law, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove instructed all U.S. Attorneys' offices to "take all appropriate actions" against officials who resist or fail to comply with lawful immigration-related commands and requests, including mass deportation initiatives. The memo states that any declination to prosecute must be documented in an urgent memo. The administration is also preparing to challenge sanctuary laws in court as it intensifies enforcement of immigration laws.