Pam Bondi Doubles Down on DC Anti-Sanctuary Order

Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a more aggressive directive Friday evening, demanding that the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) fully cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

The order expands on her previous effort to counter Washington, D.C.’s long-standing sanctuary policies.

Under Bondi’s new memo, MPD officers are required to “fully and completely” cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies.

Department of Justice spokesperson Chad Gilmartin stressed the administration’s resolve, saying, “We are NOT backing down. As required by law, DC’s Police Chief ‘shall provide’ services [President Donald Trump] may deem ‘necessary & appropriate.’”

The updated directive comes just one day after Bondi issued an initial order placing DEA Acting Administrator Terry Cole in charge of MPD operations and rescinding several police orders that restricted ICE cooperation.

City leadership immediately resisted, as the Daily Caller reported.

Democratic D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb sent a letter to MPD Chief Pamela Smith, stating, “It is my opinion that the Bondi order is unlawful, and that you are not legally obligated to follow it.”

Schwalb insisted that Smith, “having been duly appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council, is the lawfully appointed Chief of Police of the District of Columbia,” and that officers must continue following her directives, not federal orders.

Bondi’s new order does not place Cole in charge of MPD, but it broadly mandates local police participation in federal immigration enforcement.

The move is part of the Trump administration’s wider takeover of Washington, D.C., which has included deploying hundreds of National Guard members and federal law enforcement personnel in recent days.

The administration claims early success in these operations.

According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, a joint operation on Wednesday involving MPD and federal authorities led to 45 arrests, including 29 illegal migrants. Bondi’s office frames these actions as crucial to restoring public safety in the nation’s capital.

The Trump administration’s anti-sanctuary push has faced fierce opposition from D.C. Democrats.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) and Schwalb have argued that the federal intervention violates D.C.’s “home rule” and have filed lawsuits to block it.

Bondi, however, remains undeterred. She criticized Schwalb in her Friday statement, saying, “Unfortunately, the DC Attorney General continues to oppose our efforts to improve public safety in Washington, DC.

It is important to note that this same DC Attorney General is responsible for failing to enforce consequences for dangerous juvenile offenders.”

The controversy highlights the escalating tension between the federal government and D.C. leadership over law enforcement authority and immigration enforcement. Bondi’s actions signal that the administration intends to aggressively pursue sanctuary policy reversals despite ongoing legal challenges.

Federal authorities, backed by Bondi’s orders, are now closely monitoring compliance by the MPD.

The legal standoff is expected to continue, with both sides prepared to challenge each other in court. As the battle unfolds, residents of Washington, D.C., remain caught in the middle of a high-profile showdown over crime, immigration, and local autonomy.

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