U.S. Attorney General William Barr denounced Oregons new rule that federal immigration agents must have warrants to make arrests on courthouse properties.
The criticism of the Oregon policy came in a Nov. 21 letter signed by Barr and acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf. It also advised Washington states Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Fairhurst against following suit by enacting similar rules.
“We urge you both to reconsider this dangerous and unlawful course of action,” Barr and Wolf wrote. “Cooperation among local, state, and federal law enforcement officers is in the public interest and promotes safe communities.”
Activists and some officials say the arrests at courthouses have a chilling effect on illegal aliens trying to avail themselves of the justice system.
The arrests primarily target criminal aliens.
Barr and Wolf said, “Instead of permitting the safe transfer of custody of criminal aliens in a secure environment, these dangerous state laws and policies force federal law enforcement officers to locate and arrest criminal aliens at-large within communities at potentially great peril to the officers and the public.”
It can be safer for ICE agents to make arrests at courthouses than by raiding peoples homes.
Oregons Supreme Court Chief Justice Martha Walters enacted the new rule on Nov. 14. Barr and Wolf said it contradicts Congresss determination that ICE officers arent required to have signed warrants to carry out arrests.
Under the U.S. Constitutions Supremacy Clause, the rule “cannot and will not govern the conduct of federal officers,” they said.
Both Oregon and Washington are so-called sanctuary states; they limit their cooperation with ICE.
Washingtons Fairhurst wrote a letter to the Trump administration in 2017 complaining about immigration arrests at or near her states courthouses, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Courts in New York and New Jersey have also moved to limit ICE access to courthouses. California has enacted laws to codify the states resistance to ICE enforcement efforts.
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