Washington, D.C. – In a bold escalation of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday that the Department of Justice has launched formal investigations into high-profile Democrats—former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, and ex-Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot—for allegedly orchestrating efforts to expose, harass, and obstruct federal ICE agents. Speaking on Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime,” Bondi issued stark warnings, vowing prosecutions under federal statutes protecting law enforcement personnel.
The probe stems from a surge in Democratic-led resistance to mass deportation operations. Lightfoot, in a recent Fox 32 Chicago interview, unveiled “The ICE Accountability Project,” a nonprofit initiative to create a “centralized archive” and real-time portal tracking “purported criminal actions” by ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents. “We want to unmask them,” Lightfoot declared, aiming to publicly identify officers for potential lawsuits and scrutiny. Bondi slammed this as doxxing, stating, “You cannot disclose the identity of a federal agent—where they live, anything that could harm them. It appears she is violating the law.”
Bondi confirmed her office sent preservation letters to Lightfoot, Pelosi, Pritzker, and San Francisco DA Brooke Jenkins, demanding they retain all emails and records related to anti-ICE activities. “Preserve everything you have on this topic,” she instructed, citing laws criminalizing obstruction, assault, or conspiracy against federal officers. Pelosi drew fire for urging California officials to detain ICE agents violating state sanctuary laws, calling federal raids an “appalling abuse of power.” Pritzker faces similar scrutiny for directing Illinois authorities to arrest federal agents during immigration enforcement, a move Bondi labeled “impeding an investigation.”
“This is about protecting our federal agents who risk everything to secure our borders,” Bondi asserted. “Pritzker, same ball game. Pelosi got a letter today from Deputy AG Todd Blanche. If you think I won’t charge them, you’re wrong.” The investigations invoke federal supremacy, arguing state actions cannot override national immigration authority. Legal experts note potential charges under 18 U.S.C. § 111 (assaulting officers) and § 1505 (obstruction), with subpoenas likely for communications and project documents.
Democrats decried the moves as political weaponization. Pelosi’s office called it a “desperate distraction from Trump’s chaotic policies,” while Pritzker dismissed it as “federal overreach.” Lightfoot defended her project as “accountability for abuses,” insisting it targets misconduct, not personal safety. But Bondi countered: “This isn’t routine oversight—it’s a targeted campaign to intimidate and endanger agents enforcing the law.”
As Trump’s deportation push ramps up amid sanctuary city clashes, the DOJ’s actions signal a zero-tolerance era. Sources say the probes could expand to other blue-state leaders, testing constitutional boundaries. With agents’ lives at stake, Bondi framed it simply: “We’re drawing a line. Obstruct at your peril.”
