Louisville has scrapped its sanctuary city policies after the Trump administration accused it of violating federal law, according to reports.
“The stakes are too high,” said Mayor Craig Greenberg. “We do not want the National Guard occupying the streets of Louisville.”
Greenberg said it would begin honoring immigration detainers after the Department of Justice singled Louisville out and threatened to cut millions in federal assistance.
The Kentucky city will begin holding people with immigration detainers for 48 hours, a federal requirement it had bucked, along with numerous cities across the country, for years.
“Cities on the sanctuary city list right now are experiencing a terrifying increase in raids by ICE, including mass raids. Just look on what’s gone on in LA and other cities,” Greenberg said, according to WHAS 11.
Attorney General Pam Bondi chalked up the development as a “major victory” in the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
“In a major victory for the Department of Justice, the city of Louisville is dropping its sanctuary city policies as a result of a strong written warning from my office,” Bondi wrote on X.
“This should set an example to other cities. Instead of forcing us to sue you — which we will, without hesitation — follow the law, get rid of sanctuary policies, and work with us to fix the illegal immigration crisis,” she added.
President Trump has been targeting sanctuary cities – which refuse to comply with ICE immigration detainers – since he took office in January.
Last month, Trump announced plans to flood the cities with ICE officers carrying out mass raids if federal law continued to be flouted.
Chief among his targets have been the nation’s most prominent sanctuary cities – Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City.
Trump also sued Los Angeles over its sanctuary laws in June.
“Sanctuary City laws and policies are designed to deliberately impede federal immigration officers’ ability to carry out their responsibilities in those jurisdictions,” the lawsuit read.
