Bondi Wages War on Sanctuary Cities With Major Move

Trump’s DOJ Files Lawsuit Against Colorado Over Sanctuary Policies Amid Rising Gang Concerns

A legal battle is brewing in Colorado as the Trump administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) challenges the state’s sanctuary city laws. 

The lawsuit, filed against both the state and the city of Denver, accuses local officials of obstructing federal immigration enforcement. With gang violence on the rise, the lawsuit paints sanctuary policies as a significant factor in enabling criminal activity.

At the heart of the case lies the argument that Colorado’s actions violate the U.S. Constitution by interfering with the federal government’s authority to regulate immigration.

The DOJ’s lawsuit, filed in federal court in Denver, claims that Colorado’s sanctuary policies are in direct conflict with federal law, citing the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution. 

According to the DOJ, the federal government has the preeminent and preemptive authority over immigration issues and local policies that limit cooperation with federal agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are an infringement on this power. 

The lawsuit seeks to hold both Gov. Jared Polis and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, both Democrats, accountable for their respective roles in fostering sanctuary city policies that shield illegal immigrants from deportation and federal immigration laws.

This lawsuit follows a broader pattern, as the DOJ has previously filed similar cases against sanctuary cities in Chicago and Rochester, New York. 

In these cases, the administration accused local governments of failing to comply with federal immigration regulations, claiming that these policies created an environment where illegal immigrants, including dangerous criminals, could evade deportation.

A key point of contention in the lawsuit is the role of sanctuary policies in allowing criminal gangs to operate unchecked. 

The Trump administration has highlighted the Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Venezuelan gang that allegedly seized control of parts of an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado. 

In February, authorities shut down five buildings at The Edge at Lowry after gang members from TdA were discovered controlling significant areas of the complex. 

Local officials have downplayed the severity of the gang’s influence but admitted that the area had become a hotspot for criminal activity.

The Trump administration is using this as evidence that sanctuary policies contribute directly to the rise in gang violence, the Daily Mail reports. 

Attorney General Pam Bondi, in a statement regarding the lawsuit, highlighted how local jurisdictions hinder ICE’s efforts to enforce immigration laws. 

“ICE often asks police departments and sheriff’s offices to flag to them any migrants they want deported,” she said. “These offices usually hold the offenders until federal agents are able to take them into custody.”

In another blow to Colorado’s sanctuary policies, the lawsuit claims that such laws allowed dangerous criminal gangs, like TdA, to flourish within the state. 

The Trump administration has pointed to the case of gang members linked to both TdA and MS-13, who were deported to the notorious Terrorism Confinement Center in El Salvador. 

This high-security prison, which was completed in 2022, is part of the administration’s broader crackdown on gang activity in the region.

However, Colorado’s leadership strongly disagrees with the lawsuit’s characterization of its sanctuary policies.

Polis and Attorney General Phil Weiser have repeatedly stated that Colorado is not a sanctuary state, according to the Daily Mail. 

Polis’ office maintains that local authorities collaborate with federal agencies when necessary, though they do not enforce immigration laws. 

“If the courts say that any Colorado law is not valid then we will follow the ruling,” spokesperson Conor Cahill said in response to the lawsuit. “We are not going to comment on the merits of the lawsuit.”

The broader context of this legal confrontation reveals how divided the country remains over sanctuary city laws. 

Proponents of sanctuary policies argue that they provide vital protections for vulnerable immigrant populations, particularly those without legal status, while critics assert that these laws embolden criminal elements and undermine the rule of law.

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