President Donald Trump reportedly signed a new executive order aimed at sanctuary jurisdictions that hinder federal immigration enforcement.
The order mandates the Justice Department to compile a list of these sanctuary cities and take actions to suspend or cut off federal funding to them.
Trump emphasized that cities, such as Boston, have made it increasingly difficult for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to apprehend illegal immigrants.
In the order, Trump stated, “This invasion at the southern border requires the Federal Government to take measures to fulfill its obligation to the States.”
He criticized local officials for obstructing federal immigration laws, calling their actions a “lawless insurrection” against the supremacy of federal law and the territorial sovereignty of the United States.
Once the list of sanctuary jurisdictions is published, these entities will have the opportunity to comply with federal law. Failure to do so could result in the loss of federal funding.
The order also instructs the Justice Department and Homeland Security to prevent federal benefits from being provided to illegal immigrants in these jurisdictions and to challenge any local laws that favor undocumented individuals over U.S. citizens.
The White House cited examples of sanctuary jurisdictions that refused to cooperate with ICE, including cases where authorities in Massachusetts declined to detain illegal immigrants accused of serious crimes.
Earlier, Trump labeled these jurisdictions as “death traps,” asserting that they protect criminals rather than victims.
In response to Trump’s directives, some cities have begun to reassess their sanctuary policies.
For instance, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that ICE would be allowed to resume operations at Rikers Island to target criminal activities, marking a shift from previous policies.
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