U.S. Attorney General William Barr listens to concerns raised about public safety in rural Alaska during at a roundtable discussion at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium on Wednesday, May 29, 2019, in Anchorage, Alaska. Barr did not take questions from reporters in his first public appearance after former special prosecutor Robert Mueller spoke to reporters after resigning at the completion of his report into Russian interference into the 2016 election. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

Life is about to get tough for progressive officials running sanctuary cities. The Trump administration has threatened action against cities and states who prioritize the safety of illegal aliens over the wellbeing of American citizens, but now, it appears they have had enough. 

Today, the Department of Justice (DOJ) under Attorney General William Barr filed a series of civil lawsuits against various sanctuary cities nationwide urging judges to strike down policies that are designed to safeguard illegal aliens who commit additional crimes after entering the country. The DOJ also sent a stern message to state and city officials who would harbor illegal immigrants: You might face criminal charges. 

The DOJ filed the lawsuits against New Jersey, California, and Washington’s King County. Each of these states and districts has passed laws compelling local law enforcement agencies to refrain from working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to deport criminal illegal immigrants. 

Barr also indicated that the DOJ would be looking at prosecutors at the state and federal level who levy lenient charges against illegal immigrants to make it seem as if their criminal records are less severe. In essence, these individuals are whitewashing the crimes of illegal immigrants who happen to be violent criminals. This practice ensures that ICE is never informed of the presence of these people. 

In a speech in front of the National Sheriff’s Association, Barr warned that the DOJ would be heightening its targeting of officials who protect illegal immigrants. “Today is a significant escalation in the federal government’s efforts to confront the resistance of sanctuary cities,” he said. “We will consider taking action against any jurisdiction that, or any politician who, unlawfully obstructs the federal enforcement of immigration law.”

The White House has been battling Democratic officials over sanctuary laws since President Trump took office. Progressive leaders in local and state governments are actively working to hamper the efforts of ICE and other agencies responsible for enforcing American’s immigration laws. Indeed, they have gone so far as to ensure the safety of illegal alien criminals — many of whom have committed violent atrocities against American citizens. 

It seems that almost every week, there is a story of an illegal immigrant committing violent acts against American victims. You won’t hear of these tragedies from corporate media outlets that promote the open borders agenda. But these stories are relevant nonetheless. You can read of some of these incidents here, here, and here. 

Every year, thousands of criminal illegal aliens are released under sanctuary laws. In fact, Illinois alone released over one thousand of these individuals just last year. Criminals released under sanctuary laws are more likely to commit additional crimes. It’s not surprising given the fact that they know they are protected by local governments. 

The White House’s legal action against officials who promote sanctuary laws is long overdue, but better late than never, right? If these leaders are willing to place the lives of their citizens in danger to cater to the needs of criminals, it seems appropriate that they are held accountable. Hopefully, the Trump administration will succeed in its efforts to curtail those who seem to believe the safety of lawbreakers are more important than law-abiding American citizens. 

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Follow me on Twitter: @JeffOnTheRight