Attorney General William Barr vows lawsuits and ‘significant escalation’ against sanctuary jurisdictions

By Jason Hopkins

Attorney General William Barr vowed Monday to escalate the fight against sanctuary jurisdictions and announced a round of lawsuits that target states and localities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

The top attorney for the Trump administration announced that the Department of Justice (DOJ) would be slapping several states and localities with lawsuits over their sanctuary policies while delivering remarks at the National Sheriffs’ Association in Washington, D.C., on Monday. DOJ later on announced complaints with California; New Jersey; and King County, Washington, over various policies that hinder the work of federal immigration authorities.

U.S. Justice Department

The lawsuits follow DHS revocation of Trusted Traveler Programs for New Yorkers in response to the state barring DMVs from sharing information with ICE and Custom and Border Protection (CBP). ICE has also begun issuing subpoenas for information with jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal officials. (Pictured: Attorney General William Barr)

The moves were the latest in the Trump administration’s escalating crackdown against sanctuary jurisdictions across the country.

“This evening, I am announcing further actions the Department of Justice will take to protect the American people and allow for the proper and lawful functioning of our nation’s federal immigration system,” Barr said Monday while giving his address.

Barr announced that the DOJ was filling a complaint against New Jersey for a directive that limits what information state and local law enforcement can share with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The directive — an order the attorney general of New Jersey launched in 2018 — also forbids local and state law enforcement from participating in ICE operations and includes other restrictions.

The GOP attorney general also said his department would file a complaint with King County, which encompasses the liberal city of Seattle, for not allowing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to use the King County International Airport to remove illegal aliens ordered to be deported from the U.S.

The DOJ isn’t stopping there. Barr said his department will be conducting reviews of sanctuary jurisdictions across the country

“Further, we are reviewing the practices, policies and laws of other jurisdictions across the country,” he said. “This includes assessing whether jurisdictions are complying with our criminal laws, in particular the criminal statute that prohibits the harboring or shielding of aliens in the United States.”

Shortly after his address, the DOJ announced the two lawsuits against New Jersey and King County. Additionally, the department lodged a complaint against California that challenges a state law, A.B. 32, which prohibits the operation of private detention facilities. Barr said the law was intended to forbid the detention of aliens in its state.

“Today is a significant escalation in the federal government’s efforts to confront the resistance of ‘sanctuary cities.’ But by no means do the efforts outlined above signify the culmination of our fight to ensure the rule of law, to defend the Constitution, and to keep Americans safe,” Barr said.

“We will consider taking action against any jurisdiction that, or any politician who, unlawfully obstructs the federal enforcement of immigration law,” he added. 

The lawsuits follow DHS revocation of Trusted Traveler Programs for New Yorkers in response to the state barring DMVs from sharing information with ICE and Custom and Border Protection (CBP). ICE has also begun issuing subpoenas for information with jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal officials.

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Images courtesy of U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Justice Department

6 thoughts on “Attorney General William Barr vows lawsuits and ‘significant escalation’ against sanctuary jurisdictions

  1. It’s about time. Governors and legislatures, city councils and mayors who pass this kind of regs. should be prosecuted for obstruction of Justice. Immigration law is the province of the feds. After a few are charged and put in jail the rest would see the error of their ways.

  2. Without a border we do not have a country period. We need to stop illegal immigration with a physical barrier to protect our nation and all who live here before we change our immigration laws and remove or jail criminal aliens first.

    Americans are willing to do hard work but need to be compensated an expected reasonable wage even if it is the minimum. And to be protected by our labor and employment laws. Illegals don’t have this option making them magnets for employers who don’t want to pay livable wages or follow the law.

    Temporary status could be given in some circumstances, Many if not most countries do not allow citizenship to migrants however legal migrants are allowed to reside and work if necessary.

    Until the following practices which are harming all of us are ended our immigration system remains broken and we are simply unable to move forward in any meaningful way:
    Tackling Sanctuaries
    By Dan Cadman and Jessica M. Vaughan on December 13, 2016
    https://cis.org/Report/Stop-Sanctuary-Cities

    Stopping non-citizens from voting is a problem of too little data — AND political will
    Posted on June 5, 2019 in Elections, U.S. National, Vote Fraud
    https://thenationalsentinel.com/2019/06/05/stopping-non-citizens-from-voting-is-a-problem-of-too-little-data-and-political-will/

    Opinion: How employers could stop illegal immigration in seconds
    https://www.marketwatch.com/story/make-e-verify-mandatory-when-hiring-and-that-will-help-stop-illegal-immigration-2016-11-02

    Most illegal aliens routinely commit felonies
    By Ronald Mortensen, opinion contributor
    https://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/immigration/326272-most-
    illegal-aliens-routinely-commit-felonies

    Most illegal immigrants in US receive government benefits, costing taxpayers billions: experts
    By William La Jeunesse | Fox News
    https://www.foxnews.com/us/the-cost-of-illegal-immigration-migrants-cost-us-taxpayers-billions-a-year

    Study: Left-wing claims that ‘immigrants do jobs American’s WON’T do’ is a MYTH
    https://thenationalsentinel.com/2018/08/29/left-wing-claims-that-immigrants-do-jobs-americans-wont-do-is-a-myth/

    The United States is NOT a Nation of Immigrants!
    http://theamericanfreedomparty.us/stop-leftist-lies-united-states-not-nation-immigrants/

  3. Hope Vermont is in DOJ’s crosshairs. They need to squash Donovan and his extreme cabal of leftists.

    • I would like to see more press releases that VT is the immediate crosshairs and shake up the Dome Libs. Seen many articles about MA contributing to NH & VT’s troubles allowing and desirous of illegals here. Such MA support groups should be investigated and jailed.

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