WASHINGTON — The Justice Department filed a lawsuit Thursday against the State of New York, targeting its Protect Our Courts Act, which restricts federal immigration officials from making arrests at or near state courthouses.
The complaint alleges that the law obstructs federal immigration enforcement by preventing officers from detaining individuals, including those deemed dangerous, who are present at or traveling to and from court buildings. The Justice Department argues this violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
“Lawless sanctuary city policies are the root cause of the violence that Americans have seen in California, and New York State is similarly employing sanctuary city policies to prevent illegal aliens from apprehension,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This latest lawsuit in a series of sanctuary city litigation underscores the Department of Justice’s commitment to keeping Americans safe and aggressively enforcing the law.”
Federal officials argue that courthouses provide controlled environments that reduce risks during arrests, with security screenings lowering the chance of violence or flight. New York’s law, they say, removes these safer enforcement locations and allows individuals to evade lawful detention.
The complaint was filed by Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate, who stated, “Through these enactments, New York obstructs federal law enforcement and facilitates the evasion of federal law by dangerous criminals, notwithstanding federal agents’ statutory mandate to detain and remove illegal aliens.”
More lawsuits against sanctuary policies
This lawsuit adds to a series of recent legal challenges the Justice Department has launched against state and local laws limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. In May, the department filed suits against several New Jersey cities for adopting sanctuary city policies.
The Protect Our Courts Act was enacted in response to concerns that courthouse arrests deterred victims and witnesses from participating in the justice system. However, federal officials contend that the law endangers communities by hindering immigration enforcement.
The Department of Homeland Security issued new guidelines after Executive Order 10866 declared a national emergency at the southern border, emphasizing the importance of courthouse arrests for public safety.
