‘Unleash America’s law enforcement’: Trump targets sanctuary cities in escalating immigration battle

The Trump administration has taken new steps in its continued effort to tighten immigration policies. The administration is targeting cities and states that it calls “sanctuary” jurisdictions for not being strict enough. This move includes a new executive order and several high-profile arrests.

As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the main part of the administration’s plan is an executive order that tells the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to find cities and states that do not fully follow federal immigration laws. Once these places are identified, the administration will take further steps to push them into cooperating more with federal immigration enforcement.

This comes after a recent court decision stopped the administration from cutting federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions. The administration has said it will challenge this ruling in court, per the Gazette.

Trump is now going after sanctuary cities and states

A key part of the administration’s argument is that border security has gotten much better since the start of the second term. According to the data they have shared, there has been a big drop in illegal border crossings compared to earlier periods. They credit this improvement to stronger enforcement, such as sending more troops to the southern border and increasing deportations.

However, even though the administration says border security has improved, the number of deportations in the first three months of Trump’s second term is still lower than it was last year. The administration has recognized these numbers but argues that the situation is different now compared to before, with changing immigration trends.

Another issue making things more difficult is the growing problem of overcrowded detention centers. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities are holding more people than they are funded to handle, which has led officials to look at other possible locations, including military bases like Fort Bliss in Texas and the existing detention center at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

The administration’s efforts go beyond just executive orders. For example, the arrest of a Wisconsin judge accused of helping an undocumented immigrant avoid authorities shows how aggressively the administration is enforcing its policies. This arrest has been criticized by many groups, who worry it could make immigrant victims less likely to trust or cooperate with the court system.