Orders to “Unleash High-Impact Police Forces,” Target Sanctuary Cities Signed
President Trump signed two executive orders this week that affect law enforcement.
One is designed to improve coordination between federal and state and local law enforcement and to bolster protections surrounding law enforcement work. The other targets state and local governments who interfere with federal agents conducting immigration patrols.
“Unleash High-Impact Police Forces”
The first order focuses on policing. One of the main provisions is helping law enforcement with legal defense, should any challenges arise from their actions while enforcing the law on the job. It orders the Attorney General to create a mechanism for such defense, which would include pro bono assistance from the private sector.
Another provision is on empowering state and local law enforcement. It directs federal agencies to “establish best practices at the State and local level for cities to unleash high-impact local police forces,” as well as increasing pay and benefits, further expanding legal protections, and increasing investment in collecting crime data.
Another section orders the Attorney General to hold state and local officials accountable, when they pursue diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that restrict law enforcement activity.
“The result will be a law-abiding society in which tenacious law enforcement officers protect the innocent, violations of law are not tolerated, and American communities are safely enjoyed by all their citizens again,” said the executive order.
The order does not specify how to achieve those goals.
Former police officer Peter Moskos, now at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, tells NPR that while portions of the executive order are positive, such as improving training and boosting pay, the section on accountability troubles him.
“As a total package, it's worrisome, because of the excessive reach of the Feds trying to control local policing," Moskos said.
Second Order Targets Sanctuary Cities
Meanwhile, the second executive order threatens to pull federal funds from sanctuary cities.
It gives the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security 30 days to come up with a list of state and local jurisdictions that are preventing federal law enforcement from doing its job and are operating as sanctuary cities for illegal migrants.
It calls for the suspension of federal funds to such sanctuary cities. It also orders the creation of "proper eligibility verification" systems in sanctuary cities to stop migrants in the country illegally from receiving federal funds including in-state tuition and other public benefits.
"It's quite simple, obey the law, respect the law and don't obstruct federal immigration officials and law enforcement officials when they are simply trying to remove public safety threats from our nation's communities," said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
But opponents, such as the mayor of Minneapolis, are challenging the order.
"He (President Trump) can't require local law enforcement to do certain and specified federal work. That would be against the state law because federal immigration policy is not one of the enumerated policies under state law that police can conduct that business in," said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.