September 15, 2025
Permission to republish original opeds and cartoons granted.
DC Refuses To Enforce Immigration Laws
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During former President Joe Biden’s single term of office, there were more than 10 million encounters on the southern border, most of whom were let into the country, never to be seen again, moving into our cities and everywhere else. In August, the Justice Department published a list of cities, counties and states that that it stated “having policies, laws, or regulations that impede enforcement of federal immigration laws.” The sanctuary states and territories include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. All refusing to follow federal authority. Most recently, in Washington, D.C., upon expiration of the President’s 30-day crime emergency, D.C. Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser, who cooperated with the emergency, says that now D.C. police will no longer work with federal immigration authorities. On Sept. 10 at an event Bowser stated, “Immigration enforcement is not what MPD does. And with the end of the emergency, it won't be what MPD does in the future.” Now, President Trump says it might be time to formalize the emergency in the district — and maybe everywhere else — to ensure federal laws are being enforced. Right now, in Washington, D.C. by Mayor Bowser’s own words it sounds “impracticable to enforce the laws of the United States…” to expedite the deportation of illegal aliens in America’s lawless cities and the President, whether he invokes the Insurrection Act or not, says he is going to do something about it. |
With Southern Border Closed, Trump Shifts To Immigration Enforcement As D.C. Tests Federal Authority
By Robert Romano
Border encounters on the southwest border between the U.S. and Mexico have slowed to all but a trickle since President Donald Trump re-assumed office on Jan. 20 upon calling a national emergency, deploying the U.S. military to the border and reviving the Remain in Mexico policy.
Now, after this historic progress, the President has set his sights on what he promises will be the largest deportation operation in American history, including some 145,000 already removed via traditional immigration proceedings.
During former President Joe Biden’s single term of office, there were more than 10 million encounters on the southern border, most of whom were let into the country, never to be seen again, moving into our cities and everywhere else.
Meaning, state and local cooperation is of the highest importance to address the illegal aliens already in America who broke the law to get here — and cities and states have increasingly become a problem by declaring sanctuary policies and refusing to cooperate with federal authorities on immigration enforcement.
In August, the Justice Department published a list of cities, counties and states that that it stated “having policies, laws, or regulations that impede enforcement of federal immigration laws.”
The sanctuary states and territories include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
The sanctuary counties include Baltimore County, Md., Cook County, Ill., San Diego County, Calif. and San Francisco County, Calif.
And the sanctuary cities include Albuquerque, N.M., Berkeley, Calif., Boston, Mass., Chicago, Ill., Denver, Colo., East Lansing, Mich., Hoboken, N.J., Jersey City, N.J., Los Angeles, Calif., New Orleans, La., New York City, N.Y., Newark, N.J., Paterson, N.J., Philadelphia, Pa., Portland, Oreg., Rochester, N.Y., Seattle, Wash. and San Francisco City, Calif.
All refusing to follow federal authority. Most recently, in Washington, D.C., upon expiration of the President’s 30-day crime emergency, D.C. Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser, who cooperated with the emergency, says that now D.C. police will no longer work with federal immigration authorities.
On Sept. 10 at an event Bowser stated, “Immigration enforcement is not what MPD does. And with the end of the emergency, it won't be what MPD does in the future.”
That might be out of political necessity in heavily Democratic Washington, D.C., but it is not without repercussions. Now, President Trump says it might be time to formalize the emergency in the district — and maybe everywhere else — to ensure federal laws are being enforced.
In a post on Truth Social on Sept. 15, the President wrote, “under pressure from the Radical Left Democrats, Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has presided over this violent criminal takeover of our Capital for years, has informed the Federal Government that the Metropolitan Police Department will no longer cooperate with ICE in removing and relocating dangerous illegal aliens. If I allowed this to happen, CRIME would come roaring back. To the people and businesses of Washington, D.C., DON’T WORRY, I AM WITH YOU, AND WON’T ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. I’ll call a National Emergency, and Federalize, if necessary!!! Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!! President DJT”
And there is a national emergency brought on by sanctuary cities. The Insurrection Act was adopted and has been reaffirmed by Congress repeatedly over the years and allows that “Whenever the President considers that unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion against the authority of the United States, make it impracticable to enforce the laws of the United States in any State by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, he may call into Federal service such of the militia of any State, and use such of the armed forces, as he considers necessary to enforce those laws or to suppress the rebellion.”
This is an explicit power granted to Congress by Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution: “To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions…” Congress left it up to the President.
In history, there have been 30 such federalizations of the military, including to compel states to fight the Civil War and comply with federal civil rights laws. The first such invocation was by then-President George Washington in 1794 “to enforce the laws” in the Whiskey Rebellion, which was sparked by opposition to the federal collection of the 1791 excise tax on whiskey.
Right now, in Washington, D.C. by Mayor Bowser’s own words it sounds “impracticable to enforce the laws of the United States…” to expedite the deportation of illegal aliens in America’s lawless cities and the President, whether he invokes the Insurrection Act or not, says he is going to do something about it.
Robert Romano is the Executive Director at Americans for Limited Government Foundation.
To view online: https://dailytorch.com/2025/09/with-southern-border-closed-trump-shifts-to-immigration-enforcement-as-d-c-tests-federal-authority/
