The Trump administration’s Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit against New York City on July 24, 2025, targeting the city’s long-standing sanctuary immigration policies. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and names Mayor Eric Adams and other city officials as defendants.
Key Details of the Lawsuit
- Allegations: The DOJ claims New York City’s sanctuary policies are unconstitutional and violate the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution by intentionally obstructing the federal government’s ability to enforce immigration law. The complaint specifically argues that local laws impede consultation and cooperation between federal and local law enforcement, making it harder for immigration officers to do their jobs and keep the public safe
- Targeted Policies: The lawsuit highlights regulations, some dating back to 1989, that prohibit New York City agencies—including the Department of Correction and NYPD—from honoring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests unless a judicial warrant is present and the individual has a recent conviction for a violent or serious crime or is on the federal terrorist watch list. In 2014, these restrictions were further tightened by local legislation.
- Federal Position: Trump administration officials describe these sanctuary provisions as allowing dangerous criminals to avoid deportation and contribute to additional crimes. They argue that the policies defy federal mandates and endanger public safety. White House and DOJ spokespeople have labeled sanctuary cities as “sanctuaries for criminals” and contend that local non-cooperation forces ICE to conduct riskier field operations.
- Local Response: Mayor Eric Adams’ administration has defended the “essence” of sanctuary city laws, asserting they help keep communities safe by encouraging trust and public cooperation with local authorities, regardless of immigration status. However, Adams also noted the need for reform to address cases involving violent offenders, urging the City Council to allow more flexibility when serious crimes are involved
Legal and Political Context
- New York City’s sanctuary status has been contentious for decades, but clashes with federal immigration enforcement have intensified in recent years—especially during the Trump administration, which has made nationwide immigration enforcement a priority.
- The DOJ’s suit against NYC follows similar actions against other cities such as Los Angeles. The federal government has argued that local sanctuary laws contravene federal authority over immigration enforcement.
- City and state officials (and several Democratic leaders) have sharply criticized the Trump administration’s approach, defending sanctuary laws as public-safety measures rather than efforts to obstruct the law.
This lawsuit represents another escalation in the ongoing legal and political battle between federal immigration authorities and local governments that adopt sanctuary city policies.
This is the formal DOJ press release page where the Department published the lawsuit filing and their public statements regarding the case on July 24, 2025.
– Today, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against New York City, Mayor Eric Adams, and several other city officials to challenge New York’s sanctuary city laws.
As detailed in the complaint, New York’s sanctuary policies have allowed dangerous criminals to roam the streets and commit heinous crimes within the community. These policies reflect an intentional effort to obstruct federal law enforcement and thus are preempted under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
“New York City has released thousands of criminals on the streets to commit violent crimes against law-abiding citizens due to sanctuary city policies,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “If New York City won’t stand up for the safety of its citizens, we will.”
“For too long, New York City has been at the vanguard of interfering with enforcing our immigration laws,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate. “Its efforts to thwart federal immigration enforcement end now.”
The case, filed in the Eastern District of New York, is the latest action from the Justice Department fighting back against unlawful obstruction of enforcement of federal immigration laws. In the past three months, the Department has filed lawsuits against Los Angeles, New York State, Colorado, Illinois, the city of Rochester, New York, and several New Jersey cities to invalidate unconstitutional sanctuary policies. Recently, the Mayor of Louisville revoked the city’s sanctuary policy after the Justice Department threatened legal action.
Read the full complaint here
Updated July 24, 2025
The official announcement and details about the Trump administration’s Department of Justice lawsuit against New York City over sanctuary immigration policies can be found on the DOJ’s Office of Public Affairs website at this link: .Justice.gov
SOURCES: Justice.gov, Big New York news BigNY.com
