Sanctuary Can’t Save You, There’s Nowhere We Can’t Go [WATCH]

U.S. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks said federal immigration enforcement will operate anywhere in the country and warned that individuals in the United States illegally should either leave voluntarily through government programs or expect to be arrested and deported.

Banks made the remarks while outlining the Border Patrol’s current enforcement posture, emphasizing that immigration law is based solely on legal status and that no jurisdiction can shield individuals who are in the country unlawfully.

“We’re the United States border patrol, and we will go anywhere in the United States and arrest those in this country illegally,” Banks said.

“There’s no such thing as sanctuary for immigration laws. It’s about status. You’re either in this country legally or illegally.”

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Banks said the Border Patrol’s ability to expand operations beyond the southern border is the result of what he described as unprecedented control of illegal crossings. According to Banks, enforcement gains along the border have freed up resources to focus on interior operations.

“And because we’ve gotten unprecedented levels of control on our southern border, record lows, record lows, it has allowed us to expand and move those operations into the internal part of the United States,” Banks said.

The Border Patrol chief said those enforcement gains have shifted the agency’s focus, allowing agents to pursue individuals who have entered or remained in the country illegally rather than concentrating solely on border apprehensions.

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He said the agency’s mandate applies nationwide, regardless of state or local policies.

Banks also addressed individuals currently in the country unlawfully, urging them to take advantage of federal programs that allow for voluntary departure.

He said those options provide a lawful path for individuals to leave the country without being forcibly removed and potentially seek legal entry in the future.

“And if you’re in this country illegally, you should take advantage of the many opportunities that the US government is providing you to self deport, to leave on your own in an attempt to come back in the right way,” Banks said.

He warned that those who do not choose voluntary departure should expect direct enforcement action.

“Or expect that someone from the United States Border Patrol will find you, arrest you and deport you,” Banks said.

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Banks’ comments come as federal immigration agencies continue to expand enforcement operations beyond the border, following a period of heightened activity aimed at reducing illegal crossings.

Border Patrol officials have said the decline in crossings has allowed agents to redirect manpower and resources to other enforcement priorities.

The remarks also reflect the administration’s position that immigration laws are federal statutes that apply uniformly across the country, regardless of local or state declarations related to sanctuary policies.

Banks said immigration enforcement is not discretionary based on geography but is instead tied to an individual’s legal status.

Banks did not specify where expanded interior operations are currently focused, but he said the Border Patrol will continue operating nationwide as resources allow.

He also reiterated that the agency’s enforcement authority is not limited to border regions.

The Border Patrol chief said the message to those in the country illegally is straightforward: comply with the law by leaving voluntarily if possible, or face arrest and deportation by federal authorities.

Banks’ statements align with broader federal enforcement efforts that have emphasized removal of individuals without legal status while promoting voluntary departure programs as an alternative to detention and removal.