Overview

• On Tuesday, Mayor Michelle Wu held a City Hall press conference and submitted a written response refusing the Justice Department’s demand to roll back Boston’s policies.
• The Aug. 13 letter from Attorney General Pam Bondi gave Boston until Aug. 19 to outline compliance and placed the city on a public list of 35 designated “sanctuary” jurisdictions.
• Bondi’s letter warned of possible withholding of federal grants or contracts, civil litigation, and potential criminal referrals for officials deemed to obstruct immigration enforcement.
• Boston’s Trust Act limits local compliance with ICE detainers except for serious crimes, and a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling bars holding people on civil immigration detainers.
• Officials in other targeted jurisdictions, including Washington state and Connecticut, also signaled resistance, setting up a broader legal confrontation over federal and local authority.