(Olympia, WA) Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown, along with the attorneys general of California, New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont issued a joint statement on Thursday addressing a memorandum from the Trump Administration on state and local involvement in federal immigration enforcement.
The statement comes after the Justice Department ordered federal prosecutors to investigate state or local officials who they believe were interfering with immigration enforcement, threatening criminal charges for those who interfere with the federal crackdown on illegal immigrants.
According to the Attorneys General, it is well-established — through longstanding Supreme Court precedent — that the U.S. Constitution prevents the federal government from commandeering states to enforce federal laws.
“Despite what he may say to the contrary, the President cannot unilaterally re-write the Constitution. The President has made troubling threats to weaponize the U.S. Department of Justice’s prosecutorial authority and resources to attack public servants acting in compliance with their state laws, interfering with their ability to build trust with the communities they serve and protect,” says the statement.
“As state attorneys general, we have a responsibility to enforce state laws – and we will continue to investigate and prosecute crimes, regardless of immigration status. We will not be distracted by the President’s mass deportation agenda,” said the statement.
