Cities led by U.S. Democratic politicians have joined forces to push back against the Donald Trump administration's hard-line immigration crackdown. They are preparing laws and executive orders that restrict U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations and warning they could prosecute ICE agents.
According to the Washington Post (WP) on the 18th (local time), over the past two weeks the mayors of Los Angeles (LA), New York, Chicago, Boston, Oakland and Seattle have signed a series of executive orders limiting where and how ICE agents can operate. The WP said, "These policies restrict ICE agents' access to city-owned property and parks and, in some cases, instruct local police to monitor the activities of federal agents."
Zohran Mamdani, the New York mayor who has been at odds with President Trump since the campaign last year, recently banned non-city law enforcement agencies from using city-owned property (including parking lots) as "staging areas, processing sites or operational bases." Because parks make up 14% of New York City's total area, the measure is seen as likely to significantly affect federal agents' operations targeting undocumented immigrants.
Vita Mostofi, the mayor's senior advisor on immigration policy, said, "The city has control over city-owned property." Mayor Mamdani also invited Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (Democrat) last week to discuss intercity cooperation to respond to ICE.
Wes Moore, the Maryland governor considered a potential Democratic presidential contender, also signed a bill on the 17th prohibiting local police from formally cooperating with federal authorities on immigration-related arrests. The move requires nine sheriff's offices in Maryland to immediately terminate their agreements with ICE.
Moore said the bill is "a declaration that makes it very clear to communities that we value your safety," adding that it "reflects our resolve to protect residents' safety from violent criminals as well as unaccountable agents."
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a Democratic stronghold, a group of about 10 local prosecutors warned they would prosecute ICE agents under local law if they commit crimes while carrying out detention missions targeting undocumented immigrants. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who leads the group, said prosecutions of ICE agents could continue even after President Trump leaves office.
Progressive civic groups are also backing the effort. Jill Habig, founder of the Public Rights Project, said the organization is working with dozens of cities to find ways to ensure immigration-related bills and executive orders can withstand federal responses or judicial review. Mayors for America, led by Julie Chavez Rodriguez, former national manager for the Kamala Harris presidential campaign, is likewise working with Democratic mayors to craft model legislation and study strategies to effectively communicate the policies to the public.
Some, however, say such moves by Democratic cities have limits in fundamentally blocking the Trump administration's immigration enforcement. Cesar Cuauhtemoc Garcia Hernandez, a law professor at Ohio State University, said, "Local officials have the authority to regulate how public parks are used," but added, "It will be difficult to categorically bar ICE agents from spaces that are broadly open to the general public." Federal immigration officers have the authority to enter public places if they determine someone may be violating federal law.
The WP said, "These efforts backed by Democratic-leaning groups show that the long-running conflict between President Trump and locally elected officials has entered a new phase," adding, "Local leaders are worried their cities could become targets of the federal government's hard-line immigration enforcement."