Bondi puts sanctuary cities nationwide on notice after DC police federal takeover

U S Attorney General Pam Bondi temporarily leading Washington D C s police at President Donald Trump s request publicized Thursday that she had sent letters giving sanctuary jurisdictions nationwide one week to comply with federal immigration laws or face Department of Justice action contrasting South Carolina with Democratic states like New York and California Bondi was in Greenville South Carolina on Thursday for a panel discussion with state Attorney General Alan Wilson several members of Congress and local law enforcement agencies In an special interview with Fox News Digital moments before the announcement Bondi responded to whether temporary federalization of local police departments could be done beyond D C such as in New York or elsewhere Oh let's wait and see what's going to happen Bondi informed Fox News Digital s Danielle Wallace But I just sent sanctuary city letters to mayors around the country and multiple governors saying you better be abiding by our federal policies and with our federal law enforcement because if you aren't we're going to come after you And they have I think a week to respond to me so let's see who responds and how they respond Bondi stated on social media that the DOJ has sent demand letters to sanctuary cities counties and states as a key step in our strategic effort to eradicate sanctuary policies from California to New York Threatening lawsuits she revealed that any sanctuary jurisdiction that continues to put illegal aliens ahead of American citizens can either come to the table or see us in court FEDERAL JUDGE TOSSES TRUMP DOJ LAWSUIT AGAINST SANCTUARY POLICIES IN CHICAGOAfter Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani s primary win in June the New York City Police Department reportedly saw retirement filings surge Bondi who criticized incumbent Mayor Eric Adams over the city s sanctuary status in the past stated Fox News Digital on Thursday it s crucial for officers safety for them to have strong leadership Adams has cooperated with limit czar Tom Homan on federal immigration enforcement It starts at the top and our leaders have to encouragement our law enforcement Bondi notified Fox News Digital They menace their lives every single day to keep us safe There's no ordinary day in the life of a police officer nor for their families because they leave the house every day and they don't know what to expect And our administration our leaders have got to back them and that's got to happen in New York We have got back our law enforcement We've got to back the NYPD We have to back all of our federal state and local officers around this country Wilson meanwhile noted that slain Georgia nursing scholar Laken Riley s killer had been arrested in New York City and was distributed under the sanctuary policies there Obviously here in South Carolina we have excellent relationships but it's also key that we patronage them in other states Wilson advised Fox News Digital Obviously we all remember Laken Riley a young woman in Georgia who was murdered That individual had been arrested and distributed in New York state and then came to Georgia and committed that crime So it affects us all when other states don't step up and are able to enforce the laws it could have impacts on law enforcement in other states as well Bondi highlighted one letter she sent to California Gov Gavin Newsom in which she warned that individuals operating under the color of law using their official position to obstruct federal immigration enforcement efforts and facilitating or inducing illegal immigration may be subject to criminal charges The letter which was shared on social media commented cooperation between federal state and local law enforcement agencies including on immigration enforcement is vital to enforce federal law and protect national measure Under President Trump s leadership full cooperation by state and local governments in immigration enforcement efforts is a top priority Bondi wrote saying Trump directed her to identify sanctuary jurisdictions and notify them of their unlawful sanctuary status and promising violations of federal law LOUISVILLE MAYOR SHIFTS DOJ APPROACH AFTER LEGAL THREAT FROM DOJIn Greenville on Thursday Bondi pointed to South Carolina as a model of federal state and local law enforcement working hand in hand Thanking Wilson for advocating for increased partnerships with the FBI Drug Enforcement Administration DEA Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives ATF and U S Marshals Bondi described Fox News Digital a member of the Sinaloa Cartel was of late busted after massive amounts of cocaine were seized in Myrtle Beach Wilson credited such strong cooperation to law enforcement in recent months being able to make the largest fentanyl seizure in South Carolina s history Last month DEA agents Lexington County Sheriff s deputies and South Carolina State Passage Police made two coordinated traffic stops in two South Carolina counties resulting in pounds of fentanyl being seized Two brothers from California were arrested and indicted in connection with the incident The Justice Department stated that seized fentanyl had the anticipated to kill million people and a street retail value of million In her letter to Newsom Bondi announced Trump also directed federal agencies to evaluate their authority to issue grants contracts and federal funds to determine where immigration-related terms and conditions may be added to combat sanctuary policies Noting that Congress has codified the duty of states and local governments to cooperate in immigration enforcement efforts the letter noted Bondi ordered investigations to identify any such possible unlawful conduct Newsom's office did not without delay respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital Bondi's letter comes roughly a week after the DOJ identified nearly three dozen cities states and counties across the country that it announced were sanctuaries for illegal immigrants Bondi reported in a report at the time that the cities and states which mostly lean blue have immigration policies that impede law enforcement and put American citizens at menace by design The Department of Justice will continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions and work closely with the Department of Homeland Assurance to eradicate these harmful policies around the country Bondi commented Four of the states on the DOJ s list California New York Colorado and Illinois have already faced lawsuits over their immigration policies Others on the list include Delaware Nevada Minnesota and D C The lawsuit in Illinois is the furthest along in the court process and has not played out in DOJ s favor at this stage A federal judge tossed out the Justice Department's alleges saying Illinois state and local policies were protected by the Constitution and that the DOJ s lawsuit encroached on Illinois sovereignty The DOJ could still appeal the decision or amend its complaint Fox News' Ashley Oliver contributed to this analysis