WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice filed a major lawsuit on Thursday against New York City, Mayor Eric Adams, and other city officials, challenging the city’s sanctuary policies that restrict cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The lawsuit, filed in Brooklyn federal court, comes just days after an off-duty U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer was shot in the face during an attempted robbery in New York. Federal prosecutors argue that the city’s sanctuary laws are unconstitutional and obstruct the federal government’s authority over immigration enforcement.
“The United States has well-established, preeminent, and preemptive authority to regulate immigration,” Justice Department attorneys stated in the 37-page filing. “New York City has long been at the forefront of obstructing enforcement of this nation’s immigration laws.”
Federal officials pointed to the recent shooting as an example of what they described as the “tragic consequences” of sanctuary policies.
