The Donald Trump administration stepped up its attempt to make state and local governments help with enforcing immigration laws with another executive order this week.
The executive order prompted a sharp rebuke from Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller.
Keller said the order was an attempt to “extort immigrant-friendly cities like ours.”
The executive order is aimed at forcing local governments to participate in immigration enforcement. In the order, Trump said state and local governments are trying to “violate, obstruct, and defy the enforcement of Federal immigration laws.”
It also warned that it would “[hold] state and local officials accountable” for “willfully and unlawfully [directing] the obstruction of criminal law.”
Earlier this week, federal officials arrested a Wisconsin judge for allegedly aiding an undocumented immigrant in escaping arrest. This has prompted observers to say the administration is trying to silence the judiciary.
A former magistrate judge in New Mexico was also arrested earlier this year for allegedly tampering with evidence related to an alleged Venezuelan gang member.
Also in the executive order, Trump directed the Attorney General and the Department of Homeland Security to publish a list of “sanctuary jurisdictions.”
The order further asks that officials identify federal funds to suspend or terminate for these jurisdictions.
Keller quickly pushed back and said this effort would make Albuquerque less safe.
Last week, a federal judge blocked an attempt to punish local governments that have immigrant-friendly laws, including Santa Fe, noting that this was ruled illegal in the first Trump term.
Since he regained office in January, Trump has issued nearly 150 executive orders according to The American Presidency Project. This is nearly as many as his predecessor, Joe Biden, issued in his entire term and over half of the 220 executive orders Trump issued in his first term.
