Newly sworn-in Attorney General Pam Bondi wasted no time in taking action, ordering an immediate pause on all federal funding for sanctuary cities. The directive, issued Wednesday, is part of a crackdown on illegal immigration and the organizations that support it.
Bondi has been a vocal critic of sanctuary cities, often Democrat-led jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, arguing that they undermine law enforcement and national security. She has long advocated for stricter border security measures, aligning with the Trump administration’s stance on illegal immigration.
Bondi also directed the Department of Justice (DOJ) to identify and reassess all funding agreements with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that provide aid to illegal immigrants. Bondi, who was confirmed by the Senate late Tuesday and sworn in Wednesday, is expected to issue a series of sweeping directives in her first days leading the DOJ.
Among them, she plans to combat weaponization of the legal system, instruct prosecutors to seek the death penalty in appropriate cases, and coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to dismantle drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
Bondi released a directive outlining the scope of “zealous advocacy” expected from DOJ attorneys. The duties of these attorneys extend beyond merely enforcing criminal statutes enacted by Congress. They also encompass “aggressively enforcing criminal laws passed by Congress, but also vigorously defending presidential policies and actions on behalf of the United States against legal challenges,” according to a memo obtained by Fox News.
Furthermore, the memo said that DOJ attorneys should not allow personal political opinions to influence their professional responsibilities. It explicitly noted, “The discretion afforded Justice Department attorneys with respect to those responsibilities does not include latitude to substitute their personal political views or judgments for those that prevailed in the election.”
“When Justice Department attorneys refuse to faithfully carry out their role by, for example, refusing to advance good-faith arguments or declining to sign briefs, it undermines the constitutional order and deprives the President of the benefit of his lawyers.”
Bondi also addressed the repercussions for attorneys who do not adhere to these standards. She clarified in the memo, “Any Justice Department attorney who declines to sign a brief, refuses to advance good-faith arguments on behalf of the Trump administration, or otherwise delays or impedes the Justice Department’s mission will be subject to discipline and potentially termination.”
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Bondi also announced the formation of the “Weaponization Working Group,” which will examine the conduct of law enforcement agencies over the past four years for signs of “politicized justice.” According to Fox, the initiative will scrutinize several high-profile prosecutions, including those led against President Trump by former Special Counsel Jack Smith, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and New York Attorney General Letitia James in a civil fraud case.
The group will investigate potential abuses of power related to the events of January 6, 2021, the alleged targeting of Catholic Americans by the FBI, the Justice Department’s actions towards parents at school board meetings, and violations involving the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.
The memo also announced the lifting of the moratorium on federal executions, directing federal prosecutors at the Department of Justice, including those in U.S. attorney’s offices, to pursue the death penalty where it is deemed appropriate, particularly in cases involving violent drug trafficking crimes.
Bondi has instructed the Justice Department to “re-evaluate instances of the prior administration electing not to seek the death penalty.” In addition, she is set to rescind any DOJ policies that do not align closely with President Trump’s executive order on the death penalty.
