Pam Bondi Blindsides New York's Kathy Hochul and Letitia James with Federal Charges: 'This Is a New DOJ'

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Wednesday that the Justice Department is taking legal action against New York for its policies that protect illegal immigrants.

“This is a new DOJ and we are taking steps to protect Americans,“ Bondi stated in a video shared on social media platform X.

“New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens. It stops. It stops today,” she declared.

“As you know, we sued Illinois and New York didn’t listen, so now you’re next,” she added, as reported by Spectrum News.

“If you don’t comply with federal law, we will hold you accountable,” Bondi emphasized. “We did it to Illinois, strike one. Strike two is New York. And if you are a state not complying with federal law, you’re next. Get ready,” she warned, according to Fox News.

The lawsuit, Bondi revealed, is directed at Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and Mark Schroeder, who oversees the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles, as reported by USA Today.

Just six days earlier, the federal government had filed a lawsuit against Illinois and Chicago over their sanctuary policies, which prevent the deportation of illegal immigrants, according to Spectrum.

Bondi explained that New York officials were targeted due to a law that obstructs federal immigration enforcement from accessing state DMV records on illegal immigrants.

“They have a ‘tip-off’ provision that requires New York’s DMV commissioner to promptly inform any illegal alien when a federal immigration agency has requested their information,” Bondi stated, as reported by WABC-TV.

“It’s tipping off an illegal alien. And it’s unconstitutional, and that’s why we filed this lawsuit,” she said.

“Violent criminals, gang members, drug traffickers, human smugglers will no longer terrorize the American people, and that is why we are here today,” Bondi affirmed, according to Spectrum.

She made it clear that the Justice Department’s legal action won’t stop at just two states.

“We don’t want to sue you,” Bondi said. “We don’t want to prosecute people. We want people to comply with the law.”

Hochul is set to meet with President Donald Trump on Thursday.