US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday night that allows authorities to crack down on illegal immigrants crossing the country's southern border.
The document states that "Trump authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the Department of State to take the necessary actions to repel the invasion immediately and to repatriate and deport illegal immigrants from the US southern border."
At the same time, the Trump administration has ordered federal prosecutors to launch criminal investigations into local officials who obstruct immigration enforcement, part of a wide range of measures that Trump launched on his first day in office. Writes Reuters.
In a document made available to Reuters, Deputy Attorney General Emile Beauvais said state and local governments must cooperate with immigration enforcement, and federal prosecutors should investigate such violations for possible criminal charges.
This could lead to confrontation with "sanctuary cities" such as New York and Chicago, which limit cooperation with immigration enforcement.
The document highlights that Trump's Justice Department could support his immigration policies by expanding the threat of criminal charges not only against migrants or their employers but also against city and state officials as the top priority.
