A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit the Trump administration filed to challenge New York City laws that bar local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities.
Anti-ICE sentiment in New York City has risen since President Donald Trump took office. The issue intensified after a shooting involving ICE agents that happened in the city.
From The Hill:
U.S. District Judge Ramon Reyes in Brooklyn said the Trump administration cannot challenge a city law that restricts police from detaining immigrants at the request of federal immigration authorities, Reuters reported Thursday.
“The federal government came to court seeking to force New York City to turn its public servants into deportation agents and divert our resources toward carrying out ICE’s cruel agenda,” said New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a written statement following the ruling. “Today, they lost.”
Last year in July, the Trump administration filed the lawsuit in a federal District Court in Brooklyn claiming that the city’s policies violate the supremacy clause of the Constitution, which gives federal laws precedence over state laws, The New York Times reported. Reyes rejected those arguments, declaring the federal government cannot force local governments to assist with immigration enforcement, the Reuters report said.
“Our local laws make New York City safer. They allow us to focus our resources on protecting and serving our communities and ensuring that every New Yorker can turn to their City government without fear that asking for help will make them a target for deportation,” the mayor said in his statement.
The federal government tried to turn our public servants into deportation agents and force New York City to carry out ICE’s cruel agenda. Today, a federal court rejected that effort and upheld our laws. Every New Yorker deserves to seek help from their city without fear of being targeted for deportation. We will stand by our immigrant neighbors, defend our laws and protect the promise that this city belongs to all of us. https://t.co/bxghhH8o6W
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) October 16, 2026
More than 100 elected officials have joined me in calling on parking lot and garage owners across New York City: Don’t give ICE a place to operate. Don’t rent to them. Tell them they’re not welcome. Last week, ICE agents shot Oscar Belgal in the neck in Marble Hill while his 5-year-old son sat in the car. They had been staging nearby in a private parking lot. Our city laws keep ICE off public property. Now, we’re calling on private property owners to do the same. One garage on Morton Street already removed ICE vehicles after neighbors spoke out. Every owner has that power.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) October 16, 2026
The Trump administration has pursued a multi-pronged campaign against sanctuary cities and jurisdictions. In April 2025, he signed an executive order directing the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to publish a list of states and jurisdictions that obstruct federal immigration laws, notify them of potential violations, and identify appropriate federal funds for potential suspension or termination. These agencies must also pursue all available legal remedies and enforcement measures.
The administration has sued more than a dozen Democrat-led cities, including Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Denver, and several others. Federal judges have already dismissed many of these challenges.
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