DOJ Challenges New York Laws Targeting Federal Immigration Operations
The legal battle between the Trump administration and the state of New York over how federal law enforcement officers do their jobs is escalating.
The Trump administration and New York State filed dueling lawsuits over a series of state laws affecting immigration enforcement operations.
The laws put various restrictions on officers including prohibiting them from wearing masks while carrying out immigration enforcement efforts and requiring officers to visibly display agency name and a personal identifier, such as a badge number.
Another provision would ban the signing of new cooperative 287(g) agreements which allow local officers to perform certain immigration enforcement functions.
Administration Says Laws Threaten Officer Safety
According to the Trump administration, the laws violate the U.S. Constitution and could threaten the safety of federal officers. The administration argues that wearing masks protects officers from doxxing, harassment, and other threats, and that banning them threatens “safety, public safety and federal operational needs.”
In the lawsuit filed in the Western District of New York, the administration asks the court to block implementation.
State Says It’s About Accountability
Meanwhile, New York officials say the laws are necessary for public accountability. The state sued the administration in the Northern District of New York, seeking a declaration that the legislation is a “lawful exercise of New York’s sovereign authority.”
“Our communities should not have to live in fear of being disappeared by unidentified masked agents,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) in a statement.
Latest in String of Lawsuits
The case is the latest lawsuit from the Trump administration challenging state restrictions on federal immigration enforcement operations.
Similar lawsuits have been filed in New Jersey, Virginia, and California over mask bans.
The administration found some success in California, when the Ninth Circuit barred the state from enforcing the ban.
