Washington: US President Donald Trump has signed two new executive orders related to immigration, according to a White House statement. The first one targets so-called “sanctuary cities,” and the second aims to strengthen law enforcement.
According to the White House, one of the orders aims to “strengthen and unleash America’s law enforcement to pursue criminals and protect innocent citizens”. It directs the attorney general to provide resources to the legal defense of police officers who “unjustly incur expenses and liabilities for actions taken during the performance of their official duties to enforce the law”. The order also includes a directive to “(hold) state and local officials accountable” for “willfully and unlawfully (directing) the obstruction of criminal law”.
The second order targets so-called “sanctuary cities”, and directs the attorney general and secretary of homeland security to publish a list of state and local jurisdictions that “obstruct the enforcement of federal immigration laws”. It also calls on the government to identify federal funds that can be terminated as a consequence for cities that identify as sanctuary jurisdictions.
Trump has launched an aggressive enforcement campaign after taking office, surging troops to the southern border and pledging to deport millions of immigrants in the United States illegally. The president, who made immigration a major campaign issue in 2024, said the actions were needed after years of high illegal immigration under his predecessor.
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The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced a major ramp-up in enforcement activities during the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term, arresting 66,463 illegal immigrants and removing 65,682 individuals, many of whom were convicted criminals. According to ICE, three out of every four arrests involved individuals with criminal records. Key targets included gang members, sex offenders, and individuals charged with murder. |
