The Trump administration has instructed federal prosecutors to criminally investigate state and local officials who resist its immigration enforcement efforts, according to a Justice Department memo.
“Federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting, obstructing, or otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands and requests,” the memo, authored by Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, states. Bove, a Trump appointee, issued the directive in a memo dated Tuesday, signaling a firm Justice Department stance on enforcing the president’s hardline immigration policies.
The memo outlines potential criminal charges against officials who obstruct or interfere with immigration enforcement. These charges could include defrauding the United States or harboring individuals unlawfully present in the country. Prosecutors are required to notify Justice Department leadership if they choose not to pursue criminal charges in such cases.
The memo also reinstates a policy from Trump’s first administration, directing prosecutors to charge immigration offenses that could carry mandatory minimum sentences or, in some cases, the death penalty.
Bove linked the directive to the series of executive orders President Trump signed on his first day in office, which prioritized a crackdown on illegal immigration and designated it a national emergency. The orders also tasked the U.S. military with supporting border security efforts.
The memo cites threats from international gangs and drug cartels as further justification for the aggressive enforcement approach. “It is the responsibility of the Justice Department to defend the Constitution and, accordingly, to lawfully execute the policies that the American people elected President Trump to implement,” Bove wrote.
