Sanctuary mayors face DOJ criminal referral for allegedly harboring illegal aliens



Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) announced Wednesday her plans to refer several sanctuary city mayors to the Department of Justice for a criminal investigation, accusing them of harboring illegal aliens.

Luna shared the announcement during the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s hearing with Democratic Mayors Michelle Wu of Boston, Brandon Johnson of Chicago, Mike Johnston of Denver, and Eric Adams of New York City. The hearing was held as part of the committee’s investigation into the impact of sanctuary city policies.

'I just referred the sanctuary city mayors to the Department of Justice for CRIMINAL investigations.'

She opened her remarks by questioning Wu, Johnson, and Johnston about their cities’ sanctuary policies. She did not pose any questions to Adams, who has agreed to work with President Donald Trump, border czar Tom Homan, and the rest of the administration to address New York City’s illegal immigration crisis.

“After this line of questioning, it’s very clear that these policies, that you will have all implicated are active and alive and well in your cities, are in direct violation with U.S. Title 8 code, subsection 1324, and is a federal offense,” Luna told the mayors.

“But you all speak about a broken immigration system, and yet here you guys are aiding and abetting in that entire process,” she continued. “I want to be very clear about something: Open border policies, which is something that you guys are talking about, hurts people on both sides, meaning the people that are coming here illegally and then American citizens as well.”

Luna stated that she does not believe the Democratic mayors “are bad people” but instead that they are “ideologically misled.”

“Unfortunately, based on your responses, I’m ... going to be criminally referring you to the Department of Justice for investigation, and as soon as I leave here, these will be going over to Pam Bondi,” Luna declared, as she held up three apparent DOJ referrals, potentially indicating she may have excluded Adams from the scrutiny.

Several media reports stated that Luna referred all four sanctuary mayors; however, it remains unclear from her direct statements whether Adams was included.

Luna noted that the referrals were not intended to “bully” the mayors.

“But I do believe that your policies are hurting the American people, and you can make that known with the evidence that you could present to the Department of Justice. But if you guys continue doing what you’re doing, you’re not going to help anyone. You’re going to hurt more people, and that’s exactly why I’m tired of it. The American people are tired of it,” she concluded.

Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) used the remainder of Luna’s yielded time to question Adams about the financial impact the influx of illegal aliens has had on New York City.

Adams explained that city taxpayers have shelled out roughly $6.9 billion in response to the immigration crisis.

“The long-term impact of that is extremely significant,” Adams replied.

After the hearing, Luna wrote in a post on X, “I just referred the sanctuary city mayors to the Department of Justice for CRIMINAL investigations based on evidence from their own comments and policies, proving that they were breaking federal law.”

“Open borders ideologies hurt people on both sides. If you hold federal office and are breaking the law, you’ll be criminally investigated by the DOJ,” she added.

The DOJ and the mayors' offices did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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Jordan slams sanctuary mayor for Venezuelan gang member's alleged attack on ICE agents



Representative Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) grilled Denver Mayor Mike Johnston (D) on Wednesday over the city's refusal to comply with federal immigration officials' detainer requests.

During a congressional oversight hearing on sanctuary policies, Jordan blasted the mayor for a preventable violent clash, allegedly between a gang member and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

'An officer got assaulted because of your policy.'

New York Mayor Eric Adams (D), Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D), and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu (D) were also in the hot seat on Wednesday.

Jordan opened his comments by asking Johnston about Abraham Gonzalez, an alleged Venezuelan gang member who was released from jail on Friday.

The congressman explained that Gonzalez was charged with aggravated assault, motor vehicle theft, and felony menacing. Despite ICE's detainer request, Gonzalez was released back onto Denver streets.

ICE had requested a 48-hour notice of Gonzalez's release. However, according to Jordan, Denver law enforcement officials provided the federal immigration agency with a one-hour notice.

Johnston argued that, in this instance and 1,200 others, Denver cooperated with ICE's detainer requests by notifying the agency about the planned release. Yet, he did not deny Jordan's claim that ICE was given only one-hour notice.

"We notified them of release. There was six ICE agents present when he was released, so they had enough time to respond and to be present," Johnston stated.

Jordan explained that the alleged gang member was not turned over to ICE inside of the jail. Instead, he was released out onto the streets outside of the prison, where several ICE agents were waiting to arrest him in the parking lot.

"Guess what happened in the parking lot?" Jordan asked. "One of the ICE officers got assaulted, didn't he? They had to tase the guy, didn't they?"

Jordan further noted that only two ICE officers would have been necessary to turn the individual over to federal custody if the transfer had been completed inside the safety of the jail.

"Do you know why you don't do it that way?" Jordan asked Johnston. "Because you're a sanctuary city."

Johnston continued to deny that Denver shields illegal aliens from law enforcement officials. The mayor claimed that since the altercation, he has contacted ICE to "coordinate on strategies" for release.

"An officer got assaulted because of your policy," Jordan remarked.

John Fabbricatore, a retired ICE field office director, responded to Johnston's comments in a post on X, stating that the mayor "does not care about the safety of citizens."

"He cares about illegal aliens and gang members more. American citizens should come first," he added.

On Tuesday, Fabbricatore spoke before the oversight committee's subcommittee Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation. During the hearing, he detailed how Colorado's sanctuary policies "limit cooperation" with ICE, including restrictions on the department of motor vehicles and state labor records.

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Chicago Mayor: Sanctuary Policies Make Cities Safer Because 'Undocumented Immigrants Come Forward To Report Crimes'

Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson (D.) during a congressional hearing Wednesday defended his city’s sanctuary policies, claiming they make the city safer because "undocumented immigrants come forward to report crimes."

The post Chicago Mayor: Sanctuary Policies Make Cities Safer Because 'Undocumented Immigrants Come Forward To Report Crimes' appeared first on .

Guest sneaks out of wedding to blow up newlyweds' home; explosion displaces 11 families: 'I ran here in my wedding dress'



An Illinois man snuck out of a wedding to blow up the home of the newlyweds, and the explosion was so devastating that it displaced 11 families and killed six cats belonging to the bride, according to police.

Tom Davis and Eleni Vrettos had their wedding on Feb. 15. After the couple said "I do," they learned of the tragedy of their Cicero home being obliterated in an explosion.

'On what was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives, the Vrettos family, including newlyweds Tom Davis and Eleni Vrettos, experienced an unimaginable tragedy.'

Around 4:50 p.m. — just 10 minutes before the end of the wedding ceremony — Vrettos started getting calls about the explosion.

“We weren’t sure if it was us, obviously, either way, we were devastated to know it was near us,” Vrettos told WGN-TV. “My niece left the church. She confirmed that, yes, it was our house.”

Vrettos told WSAV-TV, "I ran here in my wedding dress, like down the alley, and was watching from a neighbor’s yard. Everything was just smoke at that point."

All of the family members who lived in the home weren't in it during the explosion because they all were at the wedding. However, Vrettos' six cats were killed.

"There was no way my babies made it out in that instant," Vrettos said. "While my first instinct was to run to the rubble to search for my angels, we obviously were told we couldn't be there, and there was nothing to be done."

The explosion and fire damaged two nearby buildings, and 11 families were displaced. Temporary housing has been provided to all of the families.

Surveillance cameras from nearby homes and businesses caught the moment the house exploded. The cameras also captured suspicious happenings just before the explosion.

The day after the explosion, a dead body was found in the rubble.

On Saturday, the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office identified the man as 31-year-old Anthony Avila-Puebla.

Investigators said Avila-Puebla was a guest at the wedding but snuck out at some point.

Surveillance video reportedly shows Avila-Puebla parking his car a half-block from the house. Avila-Puebla allegedly is seen in the video carrying jugs of flammable liquid to the house. He reportedly made two more trips to his vehicle to retrieve more jugs.

Police said he set fire to the two-story house but never came back outside.

Detectives reportedly discovered that Avila-Puebla had a relationship with one of the people who lived in the home and was at the ceremony.

Police said the motive behind the explosion is still unclear, and an investigation is ongoing.

'I truly have no idea what we are going to do when it comes to the near future because there is so much at play with the unknown.'

The house had been Vrettos' childhood home, and she recently moved back into it with her husband to start their new life.

"The building belonged to my family for almost 40 years. Yeah, I grew up here, so I live, lived here, and I work in the community. And I mean, Cicero is all I really know," Vrettos told WLS-TV.

Vrettos and her brother recently took ownership of the home after it had been in their mother's name.

The pair was planning to help make renovations on the home, including repairing some "long overdue" issues.

What's more, the brother and sister were in the process of transferring home insurance and did not have coverage at the time of the explosion and fire.

"Recently, my brother and I had transferred the home ownership from our mom to us, and we had not yet secured home insurance. Call it irresponsible if you will and shame us for that mistake, but we can’t undo our error," Vrettos explained. "I truly have no idea what we are going to do when it comes to the near future because there is so much at play with the unknown."

A GoFundMe campaign recently was launched to help the couple rebuild the home.

"On what was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives, the Vrettos family, including newlyweds Tom Davis and Eleni Vrettos, experienced an unimaginable tragedy," the campaign description on the crowdfunding site reads. "While celebrating Tom and Eleni’s wedding ceremony, their home in Cicero, Illinois, was completely destroyed in a devastating fire."

"This home was more than just a house — it was where Eleni grew up, where she and Tom had moved in to start their new life together, and where the family had built countless memories over the years," the campaign states. "Now, they have lost everything — their belongings, their keepsakes, and the place they called home."

The GoFundMe says they "have no coverage to help them recover from this devastating loss."

At the time of publication, the GoFundMe had raised nearly $60,000.

WLS-TV covered the explosion on a recent newscast.

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Illinois Democrat Bill Would Legalize Women Selling Their Bodies For Money

The bill ignores the intimacy and vulnerability intrinsic in sex, and the emotional damage sex can wield outside the bounds of love

Brandon Johnson’s Second Term Dreams May Already Be Dead In The Water, Poll Reveals

'Political goal'

Blowback in the Windy City: 4 in 5 Chicagoans Disapprove of Dem Mayor, Poll Finds

Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson (D.) is grappling with historic levels of voter disapproval over his handling of the city's migrant influx and his pushback against President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration.

The post Blowback in the Windy City: 4 in 5 Chicagoans Disapprove of Dem Mayor, Poll Finds appeared first on .

Top Biden EV Bus Maker Nears Bankruptcy, Leaving School Districts and Tens of Millions of Taxpayer Dollars in Limbo

The Biden administration awarded Canadian electric bus company Lion Electric nearly $160 million to manufacture hundreds of battery-powered buses for school districts nationwide as part of its sweeping climate agenda. In recent weeks, Lion has initiated bankruptcy proceedings, laid off all employees tasked with building its buses, and paused manufacturing operations.

The post Top Biden EV Bus Maker Nears Bankruptcy, Leaving School Districts and Tens of Millions of Taxpayer Dollars in Limbo appeared first on .

Trump DOJ Sues Chicago Over Sanctuary City Law

'Countless criminals being released'

Trump's DOJ sues Chicago over sanctuary city laws 'thwarting' ICE



President Donald Trump's Department of Justice has ramped up its efforts to dismantle sanctuary laws by filing a lawsuit on Thursday against Illinois, Cook County, and Chicago that alleges their policies "impede" federal immigration enforcement.

The complaint also named Governor J.B. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and other local officials.

'The conduct of officials in Chicago and Illinois minimally enforcing — and oftentimes affirmatively thwarting — federal immigration laws ... has resulted in countless criminals being released.'

Specifically, the DOJ accused the Illinois TRUST Act, the Chicago Welcoming City ordinance, and the Way Forward Act of hindering Immigration and Customs Enforcement's efforts to detain and deport illegal aliens.

The Illinois TRUST Act, signed into law in 2017, says, "State law does not currently grant State or local law enforcement the authority to enforce federal civil immigration laws." It includes a "prohibition on enforcing federal civil immigration laws."

"A law enforcement agency or law enforcement official shall not detain or continue to detain any individual solely on the basis of any immigration detainer or civil immigration warrant or otherwise comply with an immigration detainer or civil immigration warrant," it reads.

Chicago's Welcoming City ordinance was passed in 2012 by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D).

The ordinance states that city agencies and agents cannot "arrest, detain, or continue to detain a person solely on the belief that the person is not present legally in the United States."

Both laws prevent local jurisdictions from honoring ICE detainers, which request that a criminal illegal alien currently in local custody be held up to 48 hours beyond their release date to allow immigration officials to safely transfer the individual to federal custody.

The Way Forward Act was enacted in 2021 and amended the TRUST Act to provide additional protection to illegal aliens. It states that "a law enforcement agency or law enforcement official may not inquire about or investigate the citizenship or immigration status or place of birth of any individual in the agency or official's custody or who has otherwise been stopped or detained by the agency or official."

The DOJ's lawsuit claimed that the state and local laws are "designed to and in fact interfere with and discriminate against the Federal Government's enforcement of federal immigration law in violation of the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution."

The agency further stated that the policies "obstruct the Federal Government's enforcement of federal immigration law" and "impede consultation and communication between federal, state, and local law enforcement officials that is necessary for federal officials to carry out federal immigration law and keep Americans safe."

It continued, "Upon information and belief, the conduct of officials in Chicago and Illinois minimally enforcing — and oftentimes affirmatively thwarting — federal immigration laws over a period of years has resulted in countless criminals being released into Chicago who should have been held for immigration removal from the United States."

The complaint accused sanctuary jurisdictions of effectively being "safe havens" for criminal illegal aliens seeking to evade federal law enforcement agents.

It argued that the laws prevent ICE and the Department of Homeland Security from identifying illegal aliens who are subject to removal by restricting the information local governments can share with federal agents. The DOJ contended that such local laws contradict federal laws that "prohibit state and local governments from refusing to share information."

A DOJ official told the New York Post that the administration's immigration enforcement effort includes "an all-hands-on-deck approach," noting that the lawsuit is "one tool in our tool belt."

"This lawsuit will put the spotlight on obstruction by state and local officials and their refusal to support the administration and compliance with the law. The law says people who are here illegally are not allowed to stay here; they should be deported. So we want to make sure those impediments are taken away," the official told the news outlet.

"These states and localities advertise themselves as sanctuary jurisdictions. They are inviting people here who are illegal, and they're promising to protect them from federal law enforcement," the official continued. "That's inconsistent with federal law, and it's impeding federal law enforcement efforts, and these laws need to be struck from the books because they're incentivizing illegal immigration into the country."

The DOJ anticipates that the lawsuit may go all the way to the Supreme Court, the official added.

During Attorney General Pam Bondi's first day on the job, she directed the DOJ to halt federal funding to sanctuary cities.

The DOJ official told the Post that it was "no coincidence" that the lawsuit was filed shortly after Bondi's swearing-in.

"She is right out of the gate sending a clear message to other sanctuary jurisdictions," the official stated.

Pritzker's office responded to the lawsuit, stating, “Unlike Donald Trump, Illinois follows the law. The bipartisan Illinois TRUST Act, signed into law by a Republican governor, has always been compliant with federal law and still is today. Illinois will defend our laws that prioritize police resources for fighting crime while enabling state law enforcement to assist with arresting violent criminals. Instead of working with us to support law enforcement, the Trump administration is making it more difficult to protect the public, just like they did when Trump pardoned the convicted January 6 violent criminals. We look forward to seeing them in court.”

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle stated that the county plans to “fight back.”

“We will pursue every legal opportunity to defend the programs that we believe in and defend our values,” Preckwinkle said.

Johnson’s office did not respond to requests for comment from The Hill or Newsweek.

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