Justice Department Probes Sanctuary Cities for Alleged Criminal Violations
On Friday, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller revealed to that the Justice Department is investigating potential felony offenses committed by officials in sanctuary states and cities who are accused of knowingly shielding illegal immigrants from deportation.
During a concise press session at the White House, Miller addressed a query regarding 8 U.S. Code § 1324, which imposes prison sentences for those who “bring to or attempt to bring to,” “move or attempt to transport,” or “conceal, harbor, or shield from detection” illegal immigrants. Notably, penalties escalate if the unlawfully residing individual causes harm or death to others.
Earlier in the week, we posed a similar question to Border Czar Tom Homan about the likelihood of prosecution for liberal officials advocating open-border policies. His response was cryptic yet charged: “hold tight” because “it’s coming.”
WATCH: Border Czar Tom Homan Tells TGP Sanctuary Officials “Absolutely” Should be Arrested, Suggests Felony Charges Incoming: “Hold Tight on That One Because it’s Coming”
Perhaps the days of treating Democrats as untouchable are nearing an end. It seems overdue for the DOJ, under Pam Bondi’s direction, to have initiated these criminal charges months ago.
Miller underscored the troubling implications of policies that allow violent offenders to evade Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests and return to communities, where they often commit heinous acts. He stated that “these cities are engaged in systemic criminal violations,” characterizing their actions as a “scheme to nullify and obstruct the duly enacted laws of the United States.”
“The term ‘scandal’ barely scratches the surface of the grave injustices we’re discussing,” Miller argued. He elaborated on the suffering inflicted on families by individuals who, by law, should have been removed from the country. “The destruction is quantifiable only in the tears of parents who have lost children—whether to drugs or violent crime,” he lamented.
Further, Miller pointed to the broader impact of these policies on the nation’s education system, infrastructure, and healthcare, likening the influx of “third-world barbarians” to a pillaging of American cities.
During the conference, he also criticized Maryland Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen for his controversial visit to El Salvador, where he met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a deported illegal alien and MS-13 gang member. Miller remarked, “This is who the Democrat Party chooses to support—not the constituents like the Morin family.” He referenced the tragic case of Rachel Morin, who was brutally murdered, yet her family received no communication from Van Hollen.
Miller asserted that officials in blue states such as Maryland, New York, Illinois, Colorado, and California, who are complicit in these migrant-related crimes, deserve prison time.
Conradson: When will there be accountability for sanctuary state and local officials violating 8 U.S.C. 1324 by harboring illegal aliens? Isn’t it strange that Chris Van Hollen appears to aid in the re-entry of this illegal alien, also a violation of 8 U.S.C. 1324?
Miller: That’s an insightful question! It’s refreshing to hear inquiries referencing the Immigration Nationality Act. You’re spot on: sanctuary cities are engaging in numerous criminal violations—harboring, smuggling, obstructing justice, among others. The DOJ is taking a serious look at these offenses.
In my view, shared by this administration, these cities are involved in systematic violations and actively obstructing the laws of the United States. Morally and decently speaking, sanctuary cities protect criminal illegal aliens from deportation. We frequently arrest those who had been released back into the community, only for them to go on to perpetrate further crimes against families.
Consider this: Sanctuary cities like Los Angeles, Boston, and Chicago arrest illegal immigrants charged with serious offenses, only to willfully release them back onto the streets, thwarting federal law enforcement. This reckless behavior directly leads to the abuse and victimization of individuals, including children.
The term ‘scandal’ does not accurately encompass the magnitude of the malevolence we are discussing—policies that deliberately subject citizens to harm by lawbreakers who should be deported. This isn’t an isolated incident—it’s a recurring theme, with millions of violations piling up. The consequences of this chaos can be measured in the grief of countless parents mourning children lost to drugs or crime, alongside the strain on our educational system.
We often discuss declining test scores, yet rarely connect them to an open border flooding our schools with students unprepared to learn. This is a crisis that erodes our education system, infrastructure, and healthcare. Where do Americans turn to reclaim their cities, their livelihoods, and their lost income? How many small businesses have shuttered due to competition with illegal labor? The other side of this debate is not a clash of reasonable views; it’s a battle against a political party that undermines the very concept of nationhood. Every American victim is viewed as collateral damage. While that’s unacceptable to Donald Trump, we are committed to shutting this down and will never apologize for it. Thank you.
