Newly-minted Attorney General Pam Bondi immediately ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to pull funding from sanctuary cities and called for an investigation into the funding of organizations that provide assistance to illegal migrants.
Just moments after being sworn in as the 87th Attorney General of the United States, Bondi on Wednesday issued a memo that pauses federal grants administered by the DOJ to localities that refuse to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The move will likely foment a court battle between the Trump administration and major sanctuary cities like Chicago, Boston and New York City that prohibit assistance to deportation officers.
“Consistent with applicable statutes, regulations, court orders, and terms, the Department of Justice shall pause the distribution of all funds until a review has been completed, terminate any agreements that are in violation of law or are the source of waste, fraud, or abuse, and initiate clawback or recoupment procedures, where appropriate,” Bondi’s first-day memo declared.
“Sanctuary jurisdictions should not receive access to federal grants administered by the Department of Justice,” the memo continues.
Bondi ordered all components within the DOJ that provide funding to non-governmental organizations to immediately identify contracts with organizations that provide support to illegal migrants, and to pause funding to such groups. Bondi additionally called for “enforcement actions” against any sanctuary jurisdictions that obstructs justice or otherwise impedes federal immigration operations.
“Actions that impede federal efforts to enforce immigration law threaten public safety and national security,” the memo states. “State and local jurisdictions must comply with applicable immigration-related federal laws.”
The order is the latest escalation between the GOP and Democrat-led cities that wish to rebuke President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda.
Shortly after Trump resumed office in January, the DOJ established a working group tasked with identifying and investigating sanctuary cities across the U.S., and when necessary, pursuing legal action. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee announced in January its own investigation into four major sanctuary cities — Boston, New York City, Denver and Chicago, requesting all three mayors to hand over pertinent documentation and to speak before the committee.
While there is no official definition for a “sanctuary” law or policy, the term generally describes any rule that restricts local officials from helping or otherwise cooperating with federal immigration authorities. While local and state officials are largely not required to get involved in federal immigration matters, the Trump administration has warned that blatant obstruction is against the law and won’t be tolerated.
Several jurisdictions either affirmed or doubled down on their sanctuary policy since Trump won re-election, such as Boston and San Diego County. In comments that he eventually walked back, the mayor of Denver even suggested he would deploy his police force to stop ICE agents from entering his city.
The Senate confirmed Bondi as the newest Attorney General on a largely party-line Tuesday of 54 to 46, with Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman breaking with his party to support the former Florida prosecutor.
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