The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against the State of New York over a law that restricts federal immigration arrests at courthouses and surrounding areas.
The law, known as the “Protect Our Courts Act,” was passed in 2020 and is now facing legal scrutiny for obstructing federal enforcement efforts.
According to the DOJ, the statute “purposefully shields dangerous aliens from being lawfully detained at or on their way to or from a courthouse and imposes criminal liability for violations of the shield.”
The complaint alleges that New York’s law unlawfully penalizes federal agents and prevents them from fulfilling their duties.
Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the law, linking it to a pattern of sanctuary policies in left-leaning states.
“Lawless sanctuary city policies are the root cause of the violence that Americans have seen in California, and New York State is similarly employing sanctuary city policies to prevent illegal aliens from apprehension,” Bondi said.
“This latest lawsuit in a series of sanctuary city litigation underscores the Department of Justice’s commitment to keeping Americans safe and aggressively enforcing the law.”
The DOJ’s complaint argues that New York’s statute violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution by interfering with federal authority and discriminating against federal agencies.
It also contends that the law directly obstructs immigration officers from apprehending illegal immigrants, including those with criminal records.
Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate stated, “Through these enactments, New York obstructs federal law enforcement and facilitates the evasion of federal law by dangerous criminals, notwithstanding federal agents’ statutory mandate to detain and remove illegal aliens.”
New York passed the Protect Our Courts Act in 2020, following an increase in courthouse arrests during the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, according to The Post Millennial.
The law prohibits immigration arrests at courthouses and other state-run facilities without a judicial warrant.
The lawsuit comes amid rising tensions between federal immigration officials and local jurisdictions that have enacted sanctuary policies.
According to the DOJ, such laws prevent agents from safely and effectively removing individuals in violation of immigration laws.
Anti-ICE protests have spread across major U.S. cities, including New York, where demonstrators have opposed raids and detentions of illegal immigrants.
The DOJ’s legal action is part of a broader federal pushback against efforts to shield illegal immigrants from deportation, TPM reports.
In response to the lawsuit, a spokesperson for New York Attorney General Letitia James defended the law and emphasized the importance of due process.
“The Protect Our Courts Act ensures every New Yorker can access our courts and pursue justice without fear, because due process means nothing if people are too afraid to appear in court,” the statement read.
James pledged to defend the law and the rights of immigrants in the state.
The outcome of the case could influence how similar state-level policies are interpreted in relation to federal immigration authority.
As the legal process continues, it highlights ongoing questions over the balance between federal enforcement and state legislation.
