Many Americans are — to massively understate — upset with Congress. The U.S. government went through the longest shutdown in American history for little gain, as the provisions in the shutdown deal are largely identical to what was proposed prior. The final bill also only funds the government until January, meaning we may very well get to go through all of this again. Deadlock in the legislative branch is certainly not new, but in the age of Trump, it’s made the experience all the more frustrating. Trump managed to halve the staff of the Department of Education and impose the totality of his tariff regime without Congressional approval. Our government is meant to be a collaborative act between multiple institutions representing the American people, but more and more it feels like a one-man show. Yet, there are thousands of government entities with the power to stand up to the executive when Congress sits down: state and local governments.
The cooperation of local governments is vital for the successful implementation of many federal laws and programs, and even more so for the current administration. As the Trump administration rapidly expands and contracts government agencies, policy implementation has relied on local government support. Take, as an example, the relationship between ICE and the country’s sheriffs. ICE has a major issue with its crackdown on immigrants: There isn’t enough space to detain them. The existing detention centers aren’t big enough to hold the record number of immigrants being detained. Instead, ICE has contracted with sheriff departments across the country to keep detainees in county jails. Some detainees are only in jail for a short period of time before being transferred to dedicated detention facilities, while others are held for longer. Most jails, however, aren’t equipped to meet the needs of those under ICE detention. Conditions vary widely. Facilities are often overcrowded, unsanitary and inhumane. Immigrants have recounted being denied mattresses, bedding, spoons or cups.
Not all sheriffs, though, are complying with the administration’s mass deportation campaign. In Indiana, Attorney General Todd Rokita has sued our very own St. Joseph County sheriff Bill Redman for alleged failure to cooperate federal immigration officials. Redman has characterized the lawsuit as an attempt to deputize law enforcement to enforce federal immigration laws. Redman’s refusal to cooperate more than what the law requires may seem minuscule compared to the scale of mass deportations, but his actions have made undocumented immigrants in South Bend safer and put a hole in ICE’s network of sheriffs and county jails.
ICE is just a part of the Trump fallout facing localities. Our disemboweled federal bureaucracy will not be able to deliver the same quality of service with the skeleton crew that remains after the Trump purges. The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights — which investigates schools violating the rights of students — has closed 7 of its 12 regional offices. The Medicaid cuts mandated in the One Big Beautiful Bill will kick 7.5 million people off Medicaid and risks health coverage for one out of every five children enrolled in the program. If we want our children to receive quality health care and be respected and cared for, then state and local governments need to step up to the plate.
It’s going to be easy to forget about local governments with the coming onslaught of articles about the Senate and House races in 2026. Keep your eye on the ball. The success or failure of Trump’s project depends not just on Congress, but on sheriffs, treasurers and city councils across the country.
Contact Patrick Kompare at pkompare@nd.edu.
