Pam Bondi Is Trying to Force Mayors and Governors to Adhere to Anti-Immigration Policies

Attorney General Pam (Fraud? What Fraud?) Bondi has decided to flex on the principle that she can force mayors and governors to become complicit in the administration’s quasi-fascist approach to enforcing the country’s immigration laws. She sent a letter last week to more than thirty state, local, and county jurisdictions demanding that they get with the program.

As the chief law enforcement officer of the United States, I am committed to identifying state and local laws, policies, and practices that facilitate violations of federal immigration laws or impede lawful federal immigration operations, and taking legal action to challenge such laws, policies, or practices. 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. As such, I have instructed that all litigating components of the Department and each U.S. Attorney's Office shall investigate incidents involving any such potential unlawful conduct and shall, where supported by the evidence, prosecute violations of federal laws.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who is enormously popular and cruising to re-election, seemed to be decidedly unimpressed by Bondi's huffing and blowing. From the Boston Globe:

“Stop attacking our cities to hide your administration’s failures,” Wu said, eliciting cheers from a crowd of supporters gathered on City Hall Plaza. “Unlike the Trump administration, Boston follows the law, and Boston will not back down from who we are and what we stand for.”

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi last week sent Wu a letter, demanding the city end an ordinance known as the Trust Act, and provide a response by August 19.

“They are trying to use every source of pressure and leverage to coerce cities who will not bend to their will,” Wu said. “The cruelty and uncertainty is the point from this federal administration. But when we’re confronted with these impossible choices, do you stay silent and comply to try to avoid some unknown, uncertain, huge threat, or do you take the risk but stand up for your community, for your people and for what’s right.”

Wu, of course, is not alone. All around the country, governors, mayors, and other local officials are standing up against the travelling masked belt-buster brigades. From Politico:

The response letters—culled from POLITICO’s outreach to the 35 cities, counties, and states on the Department of Justice’s updated “U.S. Sanctuary Jurisdiction List”—ranged in tone from antagonistic to diplomatic in the face of Bondi’s threats of criminal prosecution. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hosted a news-conference-turned-anti-Trump rally to trumpet the city’s resistance, while New York City mayor Eric Adams sent a conciliatory two-paragraph letter via the city’s corporation counsel.

But together, the replies represent uniform Democratic pushback to President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda and reflect a deepening conflict between his administration and the blue cities and states fighting to distance themselves from its aggressive enforcement efforts.

It’s not “distancing themselves.” This is active opposition to a reckless and inhumane policy agenda. My guess, more than a few of these people will be willing to be arrested in their opposition. They’ve looked at the national and local polls and they have noticed that courageous anti-authoritarianism is also the smart political move.

“I don’t feel that I have a choice as mayor of this city,” said Wu, the first woman and person of color elected as Boston mayor. This city dates back nearly 400 years. This city has a history of standing up for what’s right, of refusing to back down.

If Michelle Wu got arrested on TV by some slobbering goon in camo, she would be re-elected mayor of Boston until one of her great grandchildren swore her in.