❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the City of Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu (D), the Boston Police Department, and its commissioner over sanctuary policies that allegedly obstruct federal immigration enforcement.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Department of Justice (DOJ), Michelle Wu, and the Boston Police Department.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The lawsuit was announced this week and targets the City of Boston, Massachusetts.
💬KEY QUOTE: “If Boston won’t protect its citizens from illegal alien crime, this Department of Justice will.” – Pam Bondi
🎯IMPACT: The lawsuit is part of a broader DOJ effort to dismantle sanctuary policies nationwide, citing public safety concerns and non-compliance with federal law.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit Thursday against the City of Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu (D), the Boston Police Department, and its commissioner, accusing them of using “sanctuary” policies to obstruct federal immigration enforcement.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said Boston’s policies violate federal law and put residents at risk. “The City of Boston and its Mayor have been among the worst sanctuary offenders in America; they explicitly enforce policies designed to undermine law enforcement and protect illegal aliens from justice,” Bondi said in a statement. “If Boston won’t protect its citizens from illegal alien crime, this Department of Justice will.”
According to the DOJ, Boston routinely refuses to cooperate with federal immigration officials, leading to the release of migrants convicted of serious crimes, including aggravated assault, burglary, and drug and human trafficking, who would otherwise be held for federal deportation proceedings.
Mayor Wu has defended the city’s sanctuary status. Last month, she dismissed warnings from the federal government, criticizing the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and defending Boston’s commitment to illegal aliens.
The lawsuit is part of a larger federal push under the Trump administration to challenge sanctuary policies across the country. Since taking office, the DOJ’s Civil Division has been tasked with identifying and targeting cities and states that are blocking immigration enforcement.
In August, Bondi published a list of sanctuary jurisdictions, with Boston near the top. She vowed to pursue legal action against cities on the list. Similar lawsuits have already been filed against New York and Los Angeles.
On August 28, President Trump directed ICE to ramp up operations in Democrat-run New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, and Seattle. Plans include possibly using a naval base near Chicago as a staging area for expanded immigration enforcement action.
However, the administration has faced judicial resistance. Just days before the DOJ filed the Boston lawsuit, U.S. District Judge William Orrick, a Barack Obama appointee, blocked Trump’s attempt to withhold federal funding from over 30 sanctuary jurisdictions, including Boston. The judge ruled that the move amounted to unconstitutional coercion.
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