The U.S. Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against New York City, Mayor Eric Adams, and several senior city officials, alleging that the city’s sanctuary policies for undocumented immigrants violate the U.S. Constitution by intentionally obstructing federal immigration enforcement.

The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, targets longstanding city laws that limit cooperation between local agencies and federal immigration authorities, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The DOJ is seeking to have the policies struck down under the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, which bars state and local laws from interfering with federal authority.

“New York City has released thousands of criminals onto the streets to commit violent crimes against law-abiding citizens due to sanctuary city policies,” said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in a statement. “If New York City won’t stand up for the safety of its citizens, we will.”

The lawsuit names, in addition to Mayor Adams, the Speaker of the New York City Council and the heads of multiple city departments, including the NYPD, Department of Correction, and Department of Probation. Among the provisions cited are a 2011 law prohibiting the city’s Department of Correction from honoring ICE detainers—civil requests to hold an individual past their release date—and NYPD regulations that limit officers’ ability to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

The Justice Department also referenced a recent high-profile incident involving the shooting of an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent during an attempted robbery in a city park. The alleged assailant, an undocumented immigrant, had a history of serious criminal offenses and outstanding warrants.

A spokesperson for Mayor Adams confirmed the city is reviewing the suit. While the mayor said he supports the intent behind the sanctuary laws, his office acknowledged that certain aspects may need to be revisited.

“Keeping New Yorkers safe also means making sure they feel safe,” the mayor’s office said in a statement to ABC’s WABC-TV. “Mayor Adams has been clear: no one should be afraid to dial 911, send their kids to school, or go to the hospital. No New Yorker should feel forced to hide in the shadows.”

The DOJ suit against New York City is part of a broader legal campaign against so-called sanctuary jurisdictions. Similar lawsuits have been filed against local and state governments in California, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, and the state of New York. Many of those cases challenge policies that prevent immigration agents from arresting individuals in or around courthouses without a judge-signed warrant.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)