Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday that Washington, D.C. will no longer serve as a sanctuary city under the Trump administration, declaring a new federal directive that requires DC police to cooperate fully with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“DC will not remain a sanctuary city. Actively shielding criminal aliens will not happen,” Bondi said in an appearance on Fox News’ Hannity.
Bondi’s statement followed her decision to rescind several executive orders issued by DC Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Pamela Smith. Smith’s most recent directive, issued earlier that same day, had limited MPD’s involvement with ICE operations. It barred officers from notifying ICE about the release of detained undocumented migrants, sharing their photographs, or holding them on ICE detainers. MPD officers were only permitted to assist ICE with transporting detainees and sharing certain traffic stop information.
“They’re trying to protect criminal aliens,” Bondi said, warning that such policies would turn DC into a magnet for lawbreakers. “Criminals are going to flee to DC if we allow this to continue — and we’re not going to let that happen.”
As part of the federal response, Bondi appointed Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Terry Cole as MPD’s “Emergency Police Commissioner” during the ongoing public safety emergency declared by President Trump. Under the new order, Cole will assume all powers of the DC police chief and will have final authority over police directives. Chief Smith and other MPD leaders must now seek Cole’s approval before implementing any further policy changes.
“They report directly to me,” Bondi said, referring to both Cole and U.S. Marshal Chief Gadyaces Serralta, who is overseeing the federal oversight of DC law enforcement. “And I report to the president of the United States.”
Bondi made it clear that under the new directive, local police are required to provide ICE and Homeland Security officials with any information regarding undocumented immigrants residing in the city.
However, DC officials are pushing back. Mayor Muriel Bowser released a legal memo Thursday night from DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb, challenging the legality of Bondi’s order.
“The Bondi Order is unlawful, and you are not legally obligated to follow it,” Schwalb wrote to Chief Smith. He cited the Home Rule Act of 1973, which grants DC limited self-governance and restricts federal authority over local law enforcement decisions.
According to Schwalb, the act “does not authorize the President, or his delegee, to remove or replace the Chief of Police; to alter the MPD chain of command; to demand services directly from MPD; or to dictate local law enforcement priorities.”
The legal and political clash between the White House and DC leadership is expected to intensify in the coming days.
