Imagine that -- law enforcement by law enforcement.

And all it took was a highly publicized multiple homicide in a sanctuary city.

Attorney General Anne Milgram today ordered all local police officers in New Jersey to inquire about the immigration status of suspects charged with serious crimes, and to notify federal immigration authorities if there is reason to believe the suspect is in the country illegally.

The requirements, which go into effect immediately, apply to suspects arrested for specific indictable offenses and for driving while intoxicated, Milgram said. If the suspect is unable to prove he or she is legally in the United States, the police officer is required to notify Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, she said. The policy also specifies that prosecutors and courts be notified.

Local officers cannot inquire about the immigration status of crime victims, witnesses to crimes or persons requesting police assistance, she said.

"The overriding mission of law enforcement officers in this state is to enforce the state's criminal laws and to protect the community that they serve," Milgram said. "This requires the cooperation of, and positive relationships with, all members of the community. Public safety suffers if individuals believe they cannot come forward to report a crime or cooperate with law enforcement."

It would have been nice if such rules had been in place before. it might have saved the lives of three very promising young people who were murdered by border jumpers.

For that matter, this policy would save lives nationally if implemented in all 50 states.

When I was a kid, the problem of young people drinking and driving and dying in auto accidents earned the border between Wisconsin and Illinois a nickname that sounds like it should apply to the US-Mexico border, given the spiraling number of bodies left in the wake of the border jumpers -- BLOOD BORDER.

H/T Tammy Bruce, Michelle Malkin