WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice issued a warning on Thursday to top California officials, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Gov. Gavin Newsom, over what it described as an “apparent criminal conspiracy” to interfere with federal immigration enforcement, the New York Post reported.
In a letter addressed to Pelosi, Newsom, state Attorney General Rob Bonta and San Francisco D.A. Brooke Jenkins, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche accused the officials of encouraging efforts to detain federal agents, specifically those working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), if they violate state law during operations.
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Blanche’s letter came in response to recent remarks by Pelosi, who suggested that local law enforcement in California could arrest ICE agents if they break state laws. In a joint statement with Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.), Pelosi cited California’s legal protections and said that while the president may have immunity from prosecution, “those who operate under his orders do not.”
“California law prevents federal agents from taking certain actions,” the statement read. “Our state and local authorities may arrest federal agents if they break California law — and if they are convicted, the president cannot pardon them.”
In response, Blanche called such statements “illegal and futile,” warning that any attempts to arrest federal law enforcement officers in the performance of their duties would be met with legal consequences.
“Stand down or face prosecution,” Blanche wrote on X. “No one threatens our agents. No one will stop us from Making America Safe Again.”
He also directed the officials to preserve all written and electronic communications related to any such plans.
Pelosi’s office has not issued a response to the DOJ’s letter, according to the report. Federal ICE operations are expected to continue as planned, with Blanche stating agents “will not be deterred” by state-level threats.
