The Trump administration files lawsuit against New York for its sanctuary policies protecting undocumented immigrants
Attorney General Pam Bondi held her inaugural press conference, where she accused officials in the Empire State of providing refuge to undocumented individuals who are criminals.
TroibNews 
The Trump administration is intensifying its battle against sanctuary policies, launching a lawsuit against New York for hindering federal efforts to deport undocumented immigrants.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the lawsuit during a lively press conference, her first since taking office last week. She accused New York of jeopardizing public safety by obstructing federal law enforcement's ability to locate and apprehend dangerous individuals facing deportation.
“New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens. It stops. It stops today,” Bondi stated. “If you don't comply with federal law, we will hold you accountable.”
Bondi specifically criticized a New York law that she claims requires state officials to alert undocumented immigrants when federal agencies seek information about them.
“It's tipping off an illegal alien, and it's unconstitutional, and that's why we filed this lawsuit,” the attorney general asserted.
This lawsuit against New York comes on the heels of a similar action the Justice Department initiated against Illinois last week, prior to Bondi's confirmation. That case contends that Illinois violates federal law by obstructing communication between local and federal law enforcement.
Filed in federal court in Albany, the new lawsuit is assigned to Judge Anne Nardacci, who was appointed by President Joe Biden. The defendants include the state of New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark Schroeder.
The legal challenge focuses on New York’s “Green Light law,” enacted in 2019 and modified in 2020, which allows undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses while limiting the use of DMV information in immigration enforcement.
James defended the state's policies in a statement, saying, “Our state laws, including the Green Light law, protect the rights of all New Yorkers and keep our communities safe. I am prepared to defend our laws, just as I always have.”
A spokesperson for Hochul, Avi Small, noted that the governor had not yet reviewed the complaint.
“Governor Hochul has been clear from day one: she supports deporting violent criminals who break our laws, believes that law-abiding families should not be targets, and will coordinate with federal authorities who have a judicial warrant,” Small continued.
Notably, the suit does not include New York City's mayor, Eric Adams, who leads the state's largest sanctuary jurisdiction.
In recent months, Adams has diverged from many Democratic leaders by expressing a willingness to work with President Donald Trump on immigration issues. His moderate approach gained attention as he was concurrently dealing with a federal corruption case. Earlier this week, a senior Justice Department official instructed prosecutors in New York to dismiss that case, although this has not yet occurred.
Regarding the pending case against Adams, Bondi claimed she was unaware of its status and suggested it should be dismissed. “I did not know that it had not been dropped yet, but I will certainly look into that,” she said.
During her press conference at Justice Department headquarters, Bondi deviated from traditional protocols by standing in front of agents from the FBI, ATF, and DEA, who were dressed in black raid jackets. She introduced a Maryland resident, Tammy Nobles, whose daughter Kayla Hamilton was murdered in 2022 by an undocumented gang member from El Salvador.
Bondi began the briefing with a dramatic announcement, claiming that the Justice Department had “filed charges against” Hochul, James, and Schroeder, as well as the state. However, an aide later clarified that she was referencing a civil lawsuit, not criminal charges.
Tom Homan, Trump’s leading advisor on immigration enforcement, has warned of potential criminal prosecutions for local officials who obstruct federal “mass deportations” promised during Trump’s campaign.
While Bondi did not dismiss the possibility of such charges, she expressed optimism that state and local officials would adhere to their legal responsibilities.
“We're going to see what they do next,” she remarked. “We don't want to sue you. We don't want to prosecute people. We want people to comply with the law.”
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the lawsuit during a lively press conference, her first since taking office last week. She accused New York of jeopardizing public safety by obstructing federal law enforcement's ability to locate and apprehend dangerous individuals facing deportation.
“New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens. It stops. It stops today,” Bondi stated. “If you don't comply with federal law, we will hold you accountable.”
Bondi specifically criticized a New York law that she claims requires state officials to alert undocumented immigrants when federal agencies seek information about them.
“It's tipping off an illegal alien, and it's unconstitutional, and that's why we filed this lawsuit,” the attorney general asserted.
This lawsuit against New York comes on the heels of a similar action the Justice Department initiated against Illinois last week, prior to Bondi's confirmation. That case contends that Illinois violates federal law by obstructing communication between local and federal law enforcement.
Filed in federal court in Albany, the new lawsuit is assigned to Judge Anne Nardacci, who was appointed by President Joe Biden. The defendants include the state of New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark Schroeder.
The legal challenge focuses on New York’s “Green Light law,” enacted in 2019 and modified in 2020, which allows undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses while limiting the use of DMV information in immigration enforcement.
James defended the state's policies in a statement, saying, “Our state laws, including the Green Light law, protect the rights of all New Yorkers and keep our communities safe. I am prepared to defend our laws, just as I always have.”
A spokesperson for Hochul, Avi Small, noted that the governor had not yet reviewed the complaint.
“Governor Hochul has been clear from day one: she supports deporting violent criminals who break our laws, believes that law-abiding families should not be targets, and will coordinate with federal authorities who have a judicial warrant,” Small continued.
Notably, the suit does not include New York City's mayor, Eric Adams, who leads the state's largest sanctuary jurisdiction.
In recent months, Adams has diverged from many Democratic leaders by expressing a willingness to work with President Donald Trump on immigration issues. His moderate approach gained attention as he was concurrently dealing with a federal corruption case. Earlier this week, a senior Justice Department official instructed prosecutors in New York to dismiss that case, although this has not yet occurred.
Regarding the pending case against Adams, Bondi claimed she was unaware of its status and suggested it should be dismissed. “I did not know that it had not been dropped yet, but I will certainly look into that,” she said.
During her press conference at Justice Department headquarters, Bondi deviated from traditional protocols by standing in front of agents from the FBI, ATF, and DEA, who were dressed in black raid jackets. She introduced a Maryland resident, Tammy Nobles, whose daughter Kayla Hamilton was murdered in 2022 by an undocumented gang member from El Salvador.
Bondi began the briefing with a dramatic announcement, claiming that the Justice Department had “filed charges against” Hochul, James, and Schroeder, as well as the state. However, an aide later clarified that she was referencing a civil lawsuit, not criminal charges.
Tom Homan, Trump’s leading advisor on immigration enforcement, has warned of potential criminal prosecutions for local officials who obstruct federal “mass deportations” promised during Trump’s campaign.
While Bondi did not dismiss the possibility of such charges, she expressed optimism that state and local officials would adhere to their legal responsibilities.
“We're going to see what they do next,” she remarked. “We don't want to sue you. We don't want to prosecute people. We want people to comply with the law.”
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
