The Trump administration has filed a federal lawsuit against New York City, accusing it of undermining immigration enforcement and contributing to a recent shooting involving an off-duty U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. The lawsuit targets the city’s sanctuary policies, claiming they violate federal law and endanger public safety.
Filed Thursday, the suit names several top city officials—including Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch—and alleges that city policies restricting cooperation with federal immigration authorities violate the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause. Specifically, it challenges laws that prevent local law enforcement from honoring federal immigration detainers by holding individuals past their scheduled release dates.
“New York City has released thousands of criminals back onto the streets to commit violent crimes against law-abiding citizens due to sanctuary city policies,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. “If the city won’t prioritize the safety of its residents, we will.”
Recent Shooting Cited as Flashpoint
The lawsuit follows a violent robbery last weekend in which a CBP officer was shot in a Manhattan park. According to authorities, the officer, who was off duty and in civilian clothes, was sitting with a woman beneath the George Washington Bridge when two men approached on a moped. A gunfight broke out after the officer drew his service weapon. He was shot in the face and arm; one suspect was struck in the groin and leg.
Federal officials say both suspects entered the U.S. illegally from the Dominican Republic and had multiple prior arrests. One of the men had been released in 2024 despite an active detainer request from federal immigration authorities—a decision directly attributed to the city’s sanctuary policies, according to the suit.
City Officials and Advocates Respond
In response, a spokesperson for Mayor Adams said the mayor supports the core values of New York’s sanctuary laws but has encouraged the City Council to revisit aspects of the policies—especially those that limit collaboration in cases involving violent offenders. “So far, the Council has refused,” said Kayla Mamelak Altus, the spokesperson.
The City Council has not yet issued an official response.
The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) blasted the lawsuit as a political stunt. Executive Director Donna Lieberman said the city “has no obligation to redirect its resources to support the Trump administration’s cruel and lawless deportation campaign.”
“New York’s bipartisan sanctuary laws have made our city safer, strengthened communities, and ensured broader access to public services,” she added.
Part of a Larger Legal Strategy
This lawsuit is part of a broader legal offensive by the Justice Department against jurisdictions with sanctuary policies. Similar cases have been filed against New York State, Colorado, Los Angeles, and other local governments accused of obstructing immigration enforcement.
The complaint argues that New York has a decades-long history of resisting federal immigration laws—dating back to its 1989 sanctuary declaration—and that its policies increasingly defy federal mandates by limiting data-sharing and enforcement cooperation.
As the legal battle unfolds, the case is likely to reignite national debates over immigration enforcement, local autonomy, and public safety in America’s largest cities.
