Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with attorneys general from 12 other states, has issued a joint statement in response to a memorandum from a Trump political appointee at the U.S. Department of Justice. The statement addresses concerns over state and local involvement in federal immigration enforcement.
The attorneys general emphasized that "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." They referenced the court ruling in Printz v. United States, which determined that "the federal government cannot ‘impress into its service — and at no cost to itself — the police officers of the 50 States.’"
The statement further noted, "Despite what he may say to the contrary, the president cannot unilaterally re-write the Constitution." The attorneys general expressed concern over what they described as "troubling threats" by the president to use prosecutorial authority against public servants complying with state laws.
They assured that these threats are currently just "empty words on paper," but warned that their states would respond if such threats were turned into illegal actions. The statement concluded with a commitment from the state attorneys general: "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."