Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a chilling statement to Democratic governors and mayors, stating that President Donald Trump’s administration will “find illegal aliens” and “deport them in Illinois, New York, and other states” in what may be her final warning to them before her department takes legal action.
“You better comply with federal law, or you will be next,” Bondi said on Friday during an appearance on “America Reports” with co-anchors Sandra Smith and John Roberts. Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, was asked by Smith if any circumstances had changed or prioritized her initial goals since she was sworn into office on February 5.
Bondi stated that restoring the Department of Justice to its “primary function” of “fighting violent crime” was her initial top priority. However, she also emphasized that addressing government waste and dismantling drug cartels were high on her agenda. When asked about New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s resistance to the Trump administration’s lawsuit against her state for failing to comply with federal immigration laws, Bondi reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to enforcement.
The blue state leader declared on Feb. 12 in an official statement that “we expect Pam Bondi’s worthless, publicity-driven lawsuit to be a total failure, just like all the others.” The AG’s response was direct. “Bring it on,” she said on “America Reports.” She added: “They are protecting illegal aliens over American citizens – not going to happen. And you better comply with federal law, or you’re going to be next.”
Hochul and New York are not the only Democratic strongholds facing repeated warnings against shielding migrants from deportation operations. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker also lashed out at Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Trump administration, criticizing their policies while maintaining a defiant stance. “Unlike Donald Trump, we follow the law in Illinois,” Pritzker said publicly in Chicago on Feb. 7. “Donald Trump has no idea what he’s up against when he attacks Illinois.”
The attorney general claims that the law supports the Trump administration and is very clear. “We’ve spoken loud and clear,” Bondi responded. “We are sick and tired of Americans being murdered, and these states protecting illegal aliens. Talk to the family of Laken Riley and all of these other young women and men who have been murdered by illegal aliens. See what you think then, when you want to protect them.”
Bondi responded to an MSNBC headline that criticized her appearance at CPAC 2025 on Thursday. She defended her presence there, describing it as a “great time,” and found it “comical” that critics labeled it a “partisan move.” She told Fox: “You know what we’re talking about. Taking violent crime off the street, fighting the fentanyl epidemic… how is that partisan?”