President Donald Trump's return to the White House came with a commitment to resolve the United States' illegal immigration crisis. In response, Democratic state and city leaders scrambled to strengthen protections in their jurisdictions against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.

Despite the left's campaign to thwart Trump's deportation efforts, sheriffs in conservative counties within those blue enclaves are seizing the opportunity to cooperate with federal immigration officials, particularly to deport illegal aliens charged with violent crimes.

'Those who will not help the federal government enforcing the immigration laws are un-American.'

Sheriff Bob Songer, Klickitat County, Washington: Defying 'unconstitutional' sanctuary laws

A Washington sheriff has repeatedly vowed to defy the state's "unconstitutional" sanctuary laws to help ICE remove dangerous illegal aliens.

Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer, who describes himself as a "constitutional sheriff," stated that he would tell border czar Tom Homan to put him "on speed dial."

"You call me," Songer said in March. "We'll be there to assist ICE in a New York second. Because by doing that, we're protecting the citizens of our county."

During an interview with Fox News Digital, he pledged to "cooperate with ICE 100%."

He slammed the left for claiming that illegally entering the country is "a civil infraction."

"That's bull. It's a crime under federal law," Songer said.

He blamed the "Biden cartel" for "purposely" fueling the illegal immigration invasion by giving up on protecting the border.

"This is in my humble opinion: Those who will not help the federal government enforcing the immigration laws are unamerican," he remarked. "I would consider [them], [in] my personal opinion, enemies of the state."

Photo by GUILLERMO ARIAS/AFP via Getty Images

Sheriff Chad Bianco, Riverside County, California: Taking on the state

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, elected in 2018, is leading the fight to end similar sanctuary policies in California by joining the City of Huntington Beach's lawsuit against the state, Governor Gavin Newsom, and Attorney General Rob Bonta.

The complaint, filed by America First Legal, argues that sanctuary policies "unlawfully shield illegal aliens, and threaten public safety."

Bianco told the Desert Sun that California's SB54 was "designed to protect criminals in jail from being deported."

California is reported to have the largest population of illegal immigrants, exceeding 2 million.

In February, Bianco announced his plans to run for governor to take Newsom's place. The sheriff argued that the state is "heading down the wrong track and has been for years."

"He's supposed to be the leader of this state," Bianco said of Newsom, who will not be running for reelection because of term limits. "The reality of Californians is, we all know this (increasing drug addiction, homelessness and property crime) is a mess. Everyone knows it's a mess, including Sacramento."

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

Maryland sheriffs: Holding the line

State and local law enforcement agencies, including those in Democratic strongholds, can partner with ICE through the 287(g) program, which allows non-federal departments to "enforce certain aspects of U.S. immigration law."

This program, particularly under Trump's second administration, has kicked up controversy. County sheriffs in Maryland led a tense battle with local Democratic leaders to cooperate with ICE.

Sheriff's offices in Cecil, Frederick, and Harford Counties have had agreements with federal authorities for years, the Baltimore Banner reported. Just two months into Trump's second term, several more sheriff's offices — Carroll, Garrett, and Washington Counties — agreed to join ICE's 287(g) program.

Alarmed Democratic state lawmakers proposed House Bill 1222, the Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement (Maryland Values Act), which aimed to prohibit local law enforcement from entering into partnerships with ICE.

Photo by John Moore/Getty Images

The Maryland Sheriffs' Association criticized the bill, arguing that the ICE programs have provided "critical tools to prevent threatening individuals from re-entering our communities." The association contended that the legislation "undermines the authority of local jurisdictions."

"If the 287(g) program is not right for certain counties, they have the authority to choose not to enter into such agreements," the Maryland Sheriffs' Association stated. "HB 1222, however, imposes a one-size-fits-all mandate that strips local jurisdictions of their ability to make determinations that best serve the safety and well-being of their communities."

Democratic lawmakers passed a version of the bill, and the governor signed it into law in May. However, not before pushback — including a poll that found 75.7% of Maryland residents support local officials cooperating with ICE to remove illegal aliens who have committed additional crimes in the U.S. — prompted Democrats to remove prohibitions on the 287(g) program. The watered-down legislation allows the sheriffs to continue their partnerships with federal immigration officials, a significant victory for the sheriffs.

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America’s Migrant Crisis Summed Up In One Preventable Tragedy

The damage wrought by Biden will take years to rectify

Trump fighting 'unconstitutional power grab' by Obama judge who reopened the floodgates

President Donald Trump determined on his first day back in office that the "current situation at the southern border qualifies as an invasion under Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution."

He then proclaimed, pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act, that migrants stealing into the homeland would henceforth be restricted from claiming asylum until the invasion was over. Those who failed to provide federal officials with sufficient personal information at legal ports of entry would similarly be restricted in making asylum claims.

Of course, this proclamation enraged all the usual suspects on the left, including the American Civil Liberties Union, which challenged the asylum ban in February on behalf of three radical activist groups and a handful of foreigners denied asylum.

'An appeal to necessity cannot fill that void.'

According to the activist groups' complaint, the proclamation was "as unlawful as it is unprecedented," and "immigration — even at elevated levels — is not an 'invasion.'"

On Wednesday, an Obama judge weaseled around the U.S. Supreme Court's June 27 determination regarding nationwide injunctions in Trump v. CASA Inc. in order to universally bar the administration from expelling asylum seekers from the United States.

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss said Trump had exceeded his executive authority in adopting "an alternative immigration system" and that his day-one proclamation was unlawful.

"Nothing in the INA or the Constitution grants the president or his delegees the sweeping authority asserted in the Proclamation and implementing guidance," wrote Moss. "An appeal to necessity cannot fill that void."

While the Supreme Court indicated last week that the national injunctions weaponized against the Trump administration by district court judges "likely exceed the equitable authority that Congress has given to federal courts," Justice Brett Kavanaugh recognized in his concurring opinion that district courts may still be able to "grant or deny the functional equivalent of a universal injunction — for example, by granting or denying a preliminary injunction to a putative nationwide class under Rule 23(b)(2)."

Moss embraced this "functional equivalent of a universal injunction" and certified all border-jumping asylum seekers "who are now or will be present in the United States" as a protected class.

'The American people see right through this.'

Moss did, however, stay his ruling two weeks pending an appeal from the Trump administration. Depending on how the appeal goes, the floodgates could be reopened to multitudes of foreign nationals seeking asylum.

"To try to circumvent the Supreme Court ruling on nationwide injunctions a marxist judge has declared that all potential FUTURE illegal aliens on foreign soil (eg a large portion of planet earth) are part of a protected global 'class' entitled to admission into the United States," wrote White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.

Miller added, "The West will not survive if our sovereignty is not restored."

Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin similarly underscored the gravity of Moss' ruling, noting in a statement obtained by CNN, "The President secured the border in historic fashion by using every available legal tool provided by Congress. Today, a rogue district judge took those tools away, threatening the safety and security of Americans and ignoring a Supreme Court decision issued only days earlier admonishing district courts for granting nationwide injunctions."

Photo by GUILLERMO ARIAS/AFP via Getty Images

While the White House did not comment on whether Trump might follow President Abraham Lincoln's example of taking actions that bypass or supersede the rulings of meddlesome judges, it indicated the administration expects to win on appeal.

"A local district court judge has no authority to stop President Trump and the United States from securing our border from the flood of aliens trying to enter illegally," White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement to Blaze News. "The judge's decision — which contradicts the Supreme Court's ruling against granting universal relief — would allow entry into the United States of all aliens who may ever try to come in illegally."

"This is an attack on our Constitution, the laws Congress enacted, and our national sovereignty," continued Jackson. "We expect to be vindicated on appeal."

Attorney General Pam Bondi characterized Moss as a "rogue" judge "trying to circumvent the Supreme Court's recent ruling against nationwide injunctions."

"The American people see right through this," said Bondi. "Our attorneys ... will fight this unconstitutional power grab as [Trump] continues to secure our border."

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Operation Take Back America: Patel’s FBI leads ‘largest’ takedown of Anti-Tren gang members

The FBI, under Kash Patel's leadership, arrested over a dozen members of the "Anti-Tren" gang, a splinter faction of the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua, on charges of drug and weapons trafficking.

The Anti-Tren gang members were in the country illegally when they were picked up by FBI Houston, according to a June 30 press release from the Department of Justice.

'Operation Take Back America means going on the offensive against transnational criminal organizations to ensure that they cannot take root in our community and endanger public safety.'

"Two criminal complaints charge 14 Anti-Tren members and associates with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine," the DOJ stated. "According to the allegations, two groups of individuals agreed to transport kilogram quantities of cocaine in exchange for $15,000 for each load with each group accepting half as payment in advance."

The 14 suspects are facing up to life in prison and up to a $10 million fine.

Five individuals could face an additional 15 years in prison for alleged possession and sale of firearms.

Photo by El Salvador Presidency / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images

According to the criminal complaint, Jose Miguel Briceno, a 25-year-old Venezuelan national, was previously involved in a mass shooting at a Houston bar that resulted in injuries to six people. Briceno is facing separate charges for alleged unlawful possession of ammunition by an alien, which could result in up to 15 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Houston Police Department, and the Harris County Sheriff's Office assisted the FBI with its investigation.

The agency's arrests were part of a nationwide initiative, dubbed Operation Take Back America, to "repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime."

Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images

U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei stated, "The Southern District's twin priorities are securing our border and the eradication of violent crime. This case implicates both."

"Operation Take Back America means going on the offensive against transnational criminal organizations to ensure that they cannot take root in our community and endanger public safety," Ganjei continued. "SDTX is going to be unapologetic in carrying out that mission."

Douglas Williams, the special agent in charge of the FBI Houston Field Office, referred to the arrests as "the largest takedown of suspected Anti-Tren members and associates by the FBI."

"These individuals are accused of engaging in a turf war with TDA members and carrying out numerous violent crimes throughout our city, including a mass shooting at a local sports bar that left six people wounded. Fortunately, for the good and safety of our community, these individuals are now in federal custody facing U.S. justice," Williams said.

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California cities cancel 4th of July events to shield illegal aliens amid anti-ICE madness

Several California cities canceled their Fourth of July celebrations, reportedly citing Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities as the reason for the last-minute decision.

With President Donald Trump's vow to execute the biggest deportation effort in the nation's history, ICE has increased its efforts to find and detain illegal aliens.

'This disdain for the average citizen is typical of California's Democrat leadership.'

California, the state with the largest illegal immigrant population, has been a prime target of the administration's immigration enforcement activities, sparking mass protests and even destructive rioting last month.

Now, several California cities are reportedly faulting ICE for their decision to cancel Independence Day celebrations.

Photo by GUILLERMO ARIAS/AFP via Getty Images

The city of Cudahy, located in southeastern Los Angeles, announced last Wednesday that it was "postponing" an Independence Day celebration scheduled for July 3 "due to recent events and concerns regarding the safety of our residents."

The post did not directly cite ICE activities as the reason for the postponement. As of Tuesday, the event had not been rescheduled.

Cudahy Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez faced calls to resign, including from the L.A. police union, after she appeared to call on the city's street gangs to stop ICE's operations.

In a now-deleted June video, Gonzalez said, "I want to know where all the cholos are at in Los Angeles: 18th Street, Florencia. Where's the leadership at? Because you guys are all about territory and 'This is 18th Street,' and, 'This is Florencia.' You guys tag everything up, claiming hood and now that your hood's being invaded by the biggest gang there is, there ain't a peep out of you."

"Whoever's the leadership over there, just f**king get your members in order," Gonzalez added.

Matt Himes, a California resident and the managing editor for Blaze Media's Align, stated, "Last week L.A. County official Cynthia Gonzalez allegedly went on TikTok to encourage local gang members to fight back against ICE. She didn't ask how her law-abiding constituents felt about the prospect of open warfare in their neighborhood. This disdain for the average citizen is typical of California's Democrat leadership."

Bell Gardens, a city located just east of Cudahy, also canceled its Fourth of July events, directly citing concerns about immigration enforcement.

"Out of an abundance of caution regarding concerns for resident safety over federal immigration enforcement activities, the City of Bell Gardens will be canceling the scheduled events between June 24, 2025, and July 10, 2025, including the Movie Nights on June 26 and July 10 as well as the Independence Day Celebration," the city wrote.

Since the notice of cancellation, the city has repeatedly used its social media account to promote "immigration workshops."

One pinned post reads, "Know your rights! Regardless of your immigration status, you have guaranteed constitutional rights." The post instructs immigrants on how to respond to ICE agents arriving at their home, advising them not to open the door for officers unless they have a warrant signed by a judge.

"Remain silent and [do] not answer questions from immigration agents," it reads.

Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Huntington Park, a city northwest of Cudahy, similarly postponed its Independence Day celebrations, though it did not provide a reason.

"The Celebration of Independence scheduled for Thursday, July 3rd has been postponed. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Thank you for your understanding and support," the city wrote.

Boyle Heights, located east of the Los Angeles River, postponed its July 4 events, citing ICE activities, according to Alejandra Alarcon, a spokesperson for the office of city council member Ysabel Jurado.

Alarcon told the Boyle Heights Beat, "We're responding to the crisis with the presence of federal agents in the community."

The outlet reported that celebrations for Boyle Heights, El Sereno, Lincoln Heights, and Northeast Los Angeles will be postponed until sometime in August.

Jurado’s deputy for economic innovation and community growth, Lucia Aguilar, was arrested, along with her twin sister, for allegedly assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon during the anti-ICE riots in June. The twin sisters are the daughters of Rick Cole, a Democratic Pasadena City council member

As some California cities prioritize shielding illegal immigrants over celebrating Independence Day, critics argue these actions betray the core values of America.

Himes stated, "Legal immigrants love July 4 — just like people who've been here for generations. But too bad: What really matters is 'protecting' the people with no respect for our country's laws. Even my neighborhood of the Pacific Palisades (which burned to the ground on the watch of that same Democratic leadership) is having a big July 4 party — my condolences to all my fellow Californians being denied one."

Gloria Romero, a former Democratic majority leader in the California State Senate, told Fox News, "They're basically canceling America; they're canceling patriotism."

"We are basically led by a far-left, ultra-woke, [Trump derangement syndrome]-suffering fools," she said.

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Don’t let rural America become the next New York City

Elect strong conservative leaders in your state — or watch it go the way of New York City. That’s the unmistakable warning conservatives should take from New York voters nominating a Hamas sympathizer and self-proclaimed socialist for mayor.

How could this happen just one generation after 9/11? How does the city that suffered most from jihadist terrorism now embrace a foreign-born Islamist who wants to “globalize the intifada”?

When Trump calls for more farm labor from the third world — so long as the workers aren’t 'murderers' — he misses the deeper issue. Violent crime isn’t the only threat.

Several factors explain the city’s decline, but one stands out: immigration. Forty percent of New York City’s population now consists of foreign-born residents — not including the children of immigrants. Mass immigration on that scale, especially from Islamic and third world countries, doesn’t just change the labor market. It imports foreign values and embeds them in the culture.

Trump should think twice about demanding more foreign agricultural workers for red-state America. His arguments about labor shortages miss the larger picture. This isn’t just about harvesting crops — it’s about reshaping schools, neighborhoods, and eventually, the ballot box.

In 2022, the Center for Immigration Studies mapped 2,351 Census Bureau-defined Public Use Microdata Areas to show the percentage of schoolchildren from immigrant households. No surprise: Urban districts in places like New York and Los Angeles show overwhelming majorities of immigrant families.

But that trend now stretches deep into red states. Cities and even rural counties are seeing shockingly high proportions of students from immigrant families.

In southeast Nashville, 65% of public-school students come from immigrant families. Iraq ranks as the second-largest country of origin. In Dallas, all 20 school districts report at least one-third of students from immigrant households. In most of those districts, a majority of families are foreign-born.

This trend extends well beyond major cities. In southwest Oklahoma City, 43% of students come from immigrant families. Greenville, South Carolina, stands at 35%. Birmingham and Chattanooga each hover around 20%.

Red-state cities and midsize towns now reflect immigration levels once limited to coastal urban hubs. That leaves rural America as the last holdout — and even that is changing.

The so-called farm labor trade has transformed heartland communities. These public school districts report the following immigrant family enrollment rates:

Texas Panhandle (outside Potter and Randall Counties): 31%
Oklahoma Panhandle: 21%
Southwest Kansas (Dodge City, Garden City, Liberal City): 55%
Central Nebraska: 27%
Canyon and Owyhee Counties, Idaho (Caldwell and Nampa): 30%
Whitfield County, Georgia: 43%
Woodbury and Plymouth Counties, Iowa (Sioux City): 26%
Washington County, Arkansas: 26%
Fargo, North Dakota: 23%

Until recently, these areas were overwhelmingly native-born. They maintained a strong continuity of American culture and civic tradition.

What happens when the next generation of these children grows up, votes, and brings in more from similar backgrounds? These red counties may not stay red for long.

Mitt Romney won Washington County, Arkansas, by 16 points in 2012. Just 12 years later, Donald Trump carried it by only six — even as he expanded his statewide margin. What changed? More than a quarter of the local student body now comes from immigrant households.

Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

Trump won rural Sampson County, North Carolina, by a 2-to-1 margin. Yet, by the 2022–23 school year, Hispanic students made up 44.2% of public school enrollment. The district now runs extensive English as a Second Language programs to meet ongoing demand. Even if Hispanic voters shift modestly right, when has such rapid demographic upheaval ever worked to conservatives’ advantage?

The pace of change is impossible to ignore. Importing foreign labor into rural counties inevitably reshapes culture — and, soon after, voting patterns.

Greene County, Iowa, illustrates the point. In 2023, Hispanic residents accounted for just 3.3% of the total population. But that number underrepresents their influence. Iowa State University researchers found Latino populations in rural Iowa tend to skew young, meaning they disproportionately fill the schools even when their overall numbers look small. That imbalance compounds over time.

When Trump calls for more farm labor from the third world — so long as the workers aren’t “murderers” — he misses the deeper issue. Violent crime isn’t the only threat. The more serious loss lies in surrendering the very communities that naturally align with traditional American culture.

As Vice President JD Vance put it during his Republican National Convention acceptance speech: “America is not just an idea. It is a group of people with a shared history and a common future. It is, in short, a nation.”

That is the nation Trump must promise to defend — not just with words but with sound policy.

Sheriffs in Democratic strongholds partner with ICE to back Trump's deportation surge

Sheriff Bob Songer, Klickitat County, Washington: Defying 'unconstitutional' sanctuary laws

Sheriff Chad Bianco, Riverside County, California: Taking on the state

Maryland sheriffs: Holding the line

Trump fighting 'unconstitutional power grab' by Obama judge who reopened the floodgates

Operation Take Back America: Patel’s FBI leads ‘largest’ takedown of Anti-Tren gang members

California cities cancel 4th of July events to shield illegal aliens amid anti-ICE madness

Not Everyone With U.S. Citizenship Is Actually An American

You Can’t Celebrate 1776 While Ignoring The Invasion We’re Dealing With In 2025

If Trump Lets Farm Workers Evade Immigration Laws, Expect The Whole World To Claim ‘Farm Worker’ Status

Don’t let rural America become the next New York City

Ask yourself the one question that separates patriots from pretenders

Hail to the cheeseburger! An all-American staple and a 4th of July favorite

Sheriffs in Democratic strongholds partner with ICE to back Trump's deportation surge

Sex-changing frogs and infertile humans: Will MAHA target infamous herbicide contaminating America's water?

9 reasons we (still) love America — and you should too

Sheriff Bob Songer, Klickitat County, Washington: Defying 'unconstitutional' sanctuary laws

Sheriff Chad Bianco, Riverside County, California: Taking on the state

Maryland sheriffs: Holding the line

We’ll keep you informed with top stories for conservatives who want to become informed decision makers.