The Trump administration has indicated that there are no plans to arrest authorities in charge of sanctuary jurisdictions, seemingly walking back prior statements on the matter.
During a White House press briefing on Monday, Border Hawk raised the issue with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, referencing participation by elected officials in recent anti-ICE riots and protests in the sanctuary state of Illinois.
“The admin has openly discussed taking legal action against officials in sanctuary jurisdictions. This weekend we saw the mayor of Evanston, Daniel Biss, [apparently] rioting and protesting outside the ICE facility near Chicago,” Border Hawk White House correspondent Wid Lyman prefaced.
“Are there plans to start arresting sanctuary mayors or governors going forward?”
JUST IN: Border Hawk asked White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt if there are plans to arrest officials in sanctuary cities and states, as border czar Tom Homan previously suggested.
"If they are violating federal law, if they are violating state law, then of course they… pic.twitter.com/MQNsTl5Gi6
— Border Hawk (@BorderHawkNews) September 22, 2025
“Unless they commit a crime, I don’t see them being arrested, but if they are violating federal law, if they are violating state law, then of course they should be arrested by state and local law enforcement,” Leavitt responded.
“If they are violating federal law, then they can expect the consequences of that behavior.”
Mayor Biss joined a large group of “violent rioters” who laid siege to the Broadview Processing Center in the Chicago suburbs on Friday.
I believe this is Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss (D) taking part in blocking the driveway for the ICE facility in Broadview, IL. He was there last week doing the same thing. https://t.co/QgvXYtgnjG pic.twitter.com/Dc8jdqEaqZ
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) September 19, 2025
Biss took issue with being named in our question, offering the following response on social media:
“Unidentified ICE agents are snatching neighbors off the street and intimidating peaceful protesters while right-wing media spreads false narratives and even suggests my arrest. Nonviolent protest is core to our democracy and I won’t be silenced.”
Unidentified ICE agents are snatching neighbors off the street and intimidating peaceful protesters while right-wing media spreads false narratives and even suggests my arrest.
Nonviolent protest is core to our democracy and I won’t be silenced. pic.twitter.com/K8Jg8rfoJZ
— Daniel Biss (@DanielBiss) September 22, 2025
Top administration officials have openly discussed arresting or prosecuting mayors of sanctuary cities on many occasions.
Last month, Attorney General Pam Bondi sent letters to 32 mayors and governors in sanctuary jurisdictions.
“Individuals operating under the color of law, using their official position to obstruct federal immigration enforcement efforts and facilitating or inducing illegal immigration may be subject to criminal charges,” she warned in the letters.
“You better be abiding by our federal policies and with our federal law enforcement, because if you aren’t, we are going to come after you,” Bondi stated in a follow-up interview.
In July, President Trump was asked about Zohran Mamdani’s vow to ‘defy ICE’ if elected mayor of New York City.
“Well then, we’ll just have to arrest him,” the President responded.
Trump on Zorhan Mamdani vowing to block ICE in NYC:
“Well then we’ll just have to arrest him, we don’t need a communist in this country and if we have one I’m going to be watching over him very carefully on behalf of a nation” – President Trump pic.twitter.com/lBOcd6lvQx
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 1, 2025
In January, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller signaled sanctuary officials could be arrested if they flouted federal immigration laws.
“The law is clear that harboring an illegal alien, smuggling an illegal alien, obstructing law enforcement, obstructing an official proceeding and a conspiracy to violate the rights of Americans, all of these and many more are criminal statutes,” Miller told Fox News.
“So if there [are] incidences that occur where a public official or an elected individual engages in violations of those criminal statutes, then I fully expect the Department of Justice will follow the letter of the law.”
In December, incoming border czar Tom Homan told Chicago residents he would be ready to drop the legal hammer on Mayor Brandon Johnson if necessary.
“If he impedes us, if he knowingly harbors and conceals an illegal alien, I will prosecute him,” Homan stated.
BREAKING: Trump’s Border Czar, Tom Homan, doubles down, stating he will prosecute mayors who obstruct the deportation process. pic.twitter.com/JgC9lRReCw
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) December 13, 2024
Border Hawk frequently covers heinous crimes committed by illegal aliens in sanctuary jurisdictions, many of whom rack up significant criminal records but are shielded from federal enforcement by sanctuary policies.
