By HWM
NY Attorney General Letitia James has filed an amicus brief defending New York City’s longstanding sanctuary laws, arguing that policies limiting local involvement in federal civil immigration enforcement are critical to public safety and community trust.
The brief, submitted in a case brought by the United States Department of Justice, urges the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York to dismiss the federal government’s lawsuit challenging the city’s policies. The DOJ sued New York City in July 2025, claiming the laws unlawfully restrict cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
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James argues that the city’s sanctuary laws, which date back to the 1980s and have been supported by both Republican and Democratic administrations, are consistent with state and federal law. The policies limit city officials’ participation in civil immigration enforcement but do not prevent cooperation on criminal matters.
“New York City’s sanctuary laws help keep our communities safe,” James said in a press release. “Our city was built by immigrants, and this administration’s attempts to overturn local laws that protect them are unjust and unconstitutional. I will always defend New York’s immigrant communities and uphold the rule of law.”
According to the attorney general, the laws allow immigrants to report crimes, serve as witnesses, and seek assistance from city agencies without fear that their immigration status — or that of their loved ones — will be questioned. Research cited in the brief shows that fear of immigration enforcement discourages crime reporting. One study found that half of immigrants, including more than two-thirds of undocumented individuals, were less likely to contact police out of concern about immigration consequences.
James contends that forcing local law enforcement to assist in federal civil immigration actions would divert resources from core public safety priorities such as combating crime and reducing gun violence. Under New York law, local police do not have the authority to arrest or detain individuals solely for civil immigration violations, even at the request of federal authorities.
The attorney general has positioned herself as a national advocate for immigrant protections. In recent years, she has filed briefs defending Temporary Protected Status for immigrants from Haiti, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nepal, and Honduras, challenged efforts to restrict Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for lawful permanent residents, and defended New York’s ban on civil immigration arrests at state courthouses.
With this latest filing, James is asking the court to allow New York City’s sanctuary laws to remain in place, arguing they strengthen public safety while protecting the rights of immigrant communities across the five boroughs.
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