Trump Administration Sues New York City Over Sanctuary Policies

The Trump administration filed a lawsuit Thursday against New York City, targeting its sanctuary city policies that the White House says are illegally obstructing federal immigration enforcement. The suit claims the city is violating the Constitution’s supremacy clause by preventing federal authorities from detaining and deporting illegal aliens, including dangerous criminals.

“New York City’s Sanctuary Provisions have the purpose and effect of making it more difficult for federal immigration officers to carry out their responsibilities in that jurisdiction,” the lawsuit states. It further argues that city laws “intentionally obstruct the sharing of information envisioned and affirmatively protected by Congress, including sharing basic information such as release dates, court appearance dates, and custodial status.”

The Trump administration is seeking to strike down the city’s policies that forbid local law enforcement from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Officials say the city’s refusal to notify ICE of the release of criminal aliens forces agents to conduct dangerous operations in the streets rather than within controlled environments like jails.

Key points from the lawsuit include:

• NYC’s policies prohibit city officials from cooperating with ICE without criminal warrants, even though federal law allows civil warrants for immigration enforcement.

• The city’s refusal to share detainee information results in “countless criminals being released” who should be removed from the country.

• ICE agents are put at increased risk due to the city’s “intentional sabotage” of federal immigration efforts.

“Sanctuary cities are only sanctuaries for criminals,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News. “President Trump promised to Make America Safe Again and deport criminal illegal aliens. But sanctuary cities, like NYC, are working in direct opposition to the mandate that President Trump was elected to fulfill, and American citizens are paying the price.”

New York City is the latest target in the Trump administration’s aggressive push to dismantle sanctuary policies across the country. Earlier this year, lawsuits were filed against Los Angeles and Chicago for similar policies. The administration argues that these cities prioritize political agendas over the safety of American citizens.

The lawsuit also highlights the broader national debate on illegal immigration, a top issue heading into the next election cycle. With record levels of illegal border crossings in recent years, Trump has vowed to not only enforce federal immigration laws but also punish cities that shield illegal aliens from deportation.

New York City leaders have yet to respond publicly to the lawsuit, but they have previously defended their sanctuary policies as necessary to maintain trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement.

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