National Border Patrol Council President Paul Perez warned Democratic officials against opposing the incoming Trump administration’s planned deportations, as President-elect Donald Trump is hiring “the best legal minds” who would enforce consequences.
Several state officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), have been working in the wake of the 2024 election to deter the incoming administration’s deportations of illegal immigrants, prompting Trump “border czar” Tom Homan to warn them to “get out of the way.” In response to the officials and sanctuary cities intending to work against the Trump administration, Perez argued they need to recognize that “federal law supersedes state law.”
“Anybody that’s going to get in the way is going to be dealt with, and so they need to take this incoming administration at its word because they are going to have some of the best legal minds working in the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security,” Perez said on Fox News’s America Reports, guest-hosted by Griff Jenkins and Julie Banderas. “So it’s not something that they’re taking lightly. They’re going to do the job.”
Perez also addressed concerns about the spreading of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua across the nation, which has started to make its way to New York City. The union argued that Border Patrol agents, along with other agencies meant to address these concerns, want to be able to do their jobs but are not allowed to under the Biden administration.
When asked about Mexico creating an app to allow Mexican immigrants to warn family members if they had been detained by border patrol agents, Perez scoffed at the idea and argued that it would not matter. He also predicted that Mexico will ultimately “fall in line” with Trump’s deportations, much like his prediction for sanctuary cities.
“It’s not going to deter us, it’s not going to stop us from being effective at securing the border because that’s what President Trump wants to do to protect this nation,” Perez said.
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Perez’s warning to sanctuary cities comes right after Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) suggested the Trump administration withhold funds from sanctuary cities. Biggs argued that “money talks” and is “the No. 1 leverage point” available for the U.S. government to use.
On Monday, New York City Police Department officials said they are dealing with “newly emergent crime patterns” when asked about the Tren de Aragua gang, adding that the department has sought to deal with this early on to prevent any “entrenchment” by the gang. Rebecca Weiner, the NYPD deputy commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism, also said these crime patterns are “not specific” to New Year’s Eve or Times Square, as the city is gearing up for its massive annual celebration Tuesday night.