The Justice Department is reportedly suing the City of Los Angeles over its sanctuary policies aimed at shielding illegal immigrants from apprehension and deportation.
Fox News’ Bill Melugin in a post on X announced the lawsuit, noting that the DOJ is arguing that Los Angeles’ sanctuary policies “violate the Supremacy Clause” of the US Constitution by intentionally discriminating against the federal gov by treating federal immigration officers differently than other law enforcement.”
The agency is “asking that LA’s sanctuary policies be enjoined/blocked from being enforced,” according to Melugin.
In a statement to Fox News, the Justice Department claimed “Sanctuary policies were the driving cause of the violence, chaos, and attacks on law enforcement that Americans recently witnessed in Los Angeles” and that “Jurisdictions like Los Angeles that flout federal law by prioritizing illegal aliens over American citizens are undermining law enforcement at every level — it ends under President Trump.”
"Sanctuary City laws and policies are designed to deliberately impede federal immigration officers’ ability to carry out their responsibilities in those jurisdictions,” according to an excerpt from the lawsuit. “The Los Angeles Ordinance and other policies intentionally discriminate against the Federal Government by treating federal immigration authorities differently than other law enforcement agents through access restrictions both to property and to individual detainees, by prohibiting contractors and sub-contractors from providing information, and by disfavoring federal criminal laws that the City of Los Angeles has decided not to comply with.”
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The lawsuit adds: “The Supremacy Clause prohibits the City of Los Angeles and its officials from singling out the Federal Government for adverse treatment—as the challenged law and policies do—thereby discriminating against the Federal Government. Accordingly, the law and policies challenged here are invalid and should be enjoined."
BREAKING: The Trump Department of Justice has just filed a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles, arguing its sanctuary policies violate the Supremacy Clause by intentionally discriminating against the federal gov by treating federal immigration officers differently than other… pic.twitter.com/uUWcFWAqGA
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) June 30, 2025
The existence of sanctuary cities has long been a contentious issue. Supporters argue that states should have the autonomy to determine whether they will cooperate with federal immigration authorities. However, critics insist that this is a violation of the Supremacy Clause and that hindering federal law enforcement makes it harder for them to apprehend and deport illegal immigrants.
Under President Donald Trump’s first administration, the Justice Department sought to withhold funding from sanctuary states and cities. The City of San Francisco challenged the policy, which was enacted in 2017. The matter even made it to the Supreme Court.
The city argued that Trump’s executive order caused constitutional, budgetary, and community harms. It said the order violated the anti-commandeering principle and other constitutional protections.
Conversely, the Justice Department countered by pointing out that sanctuary policies obstructed immigration enforcement and undermined federal authority under the Supremacy Clause.
However, the Supreme Court never got to issue a ruling on the matter because after former President Joe Biden took office, the Justice Department dropped its appeal. However, it appears the second Trump administration is preparing to take another swing at sanctuary cities.
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