The Department of Justice has directed prosecutors to investigate state and local officials who impede the enforcement of immigration laws, according to a memorandum.
The memo from acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove urges prosecutors to be aware of any policies that obstruct deportation efforts.
“Indeed, 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,” the memo said.
“The Justice Department’s responsibility, proudly shouldered by each of its employees, includes aggressive enforcement of laws enacted by Congress, as well as vigorous defense of the President’s actions on behalf of the United States against legal challenges,” Bove wrote. “The Department’s personnel must come together in the offices that taxpayers have funded to do this important work.”
“Each United States Attorney and Assistant Attorney General is responsible for ensuring that this interim policy is implemented and followed,” the memo noted.
Bove wrote that the Supremacy Clause and “other authorities require state and local actors to comply with the Executive Branch’s immigration enforcement initiatives. Federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting, obstructing, and otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands and requests.” He added, “The U.S. Attorney’s Offices and litigating components of the Department of Justice shall investigate incidents involving any such misconduct for potential prosecution.”
“[L]aws and actions that threaten to impede Executive Branch immigration initiatives, including by prohibiting disclosures of information of federal authorities engaged in immigration-enforcement activities, threaten public safety and national security,” Bove declared.
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to “faithfully execute the immigration laws against all inadmissible and removable aliens, particularly those aliens who threaten the safety or security of the American people.”
