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

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

A new DOJ memo signals that federal prosecutors should launch investigations into state and local officials who obstruct immigration enforcement.

A memo to prosecutors also instructs the Justice Department’s civil division to help identify state and local laws and policies that “threaten to impede” the Trump administration’s immigration initiatives and potentially challenge them in court.