A memo asserts that state and local officials are bound to cooperate and could face criminal prosecution or civil penalties if they fail to comply.

The Justice Department is directing its federal prosecutors to investigate for potential criminal charges any state or local officials who stand in the way of beefed-up enforcement of immigration laws under the Trump administration.

U.S. attorneys’ offices were told to investigate any official who defies federal immigration enforcement efforts and consider prosecuting them.

The Justice Department memo issued Wednesday threatens prosecution of state or local officials for “resisting, obstructing, and otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands and requests.

President Donald Trump's administration has directed U.S. prosecutors to criminally probe state and local officials who resist immigration enforcement efforts, intensifying a sweeping crackdown that Trump launched the day he took office.

In line with Trump’s edict, CNN’s Natasha Bertrand, Priscilla Alvarez, Haley Britzky and Oren Liebermann report. They’re expected to beef up existing operations to support Customs and Border Protection,

President Donald Trump's administration has directed U.S. prosecutors to criminally probe local officials who resist immigration enforcement efforts, intensifying a sweeping crackdown that Trump launched the day he took office.

The directives to Justice Department employees could face fierce blowback from legal advocacy groups and officials in cities and states led by Democrats.

Justice Department career officials were reassigned to advance Donald Trump's immigration agenda, an official familiar with the matter told USA TODAY.

A memo from the acting deputy attorney general instructs officials to identify state and local laws and policies that “threaten to impede” the Trump administration's immigration efforts.