A federal judge in Brooklyn dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration that sought to invalidate New York City’s sanctuary laws protecting undocumented immigrants. The case, initiated in July 2025, aimed to secure a permanent injunction against local legislation preventing city agencies—including the NYPD and Department of Correction—from honoring civil immigration detainers issued by federal authorities such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
U.S. District Judge Ramón Reyes ruled on October 15 that the federal government lacked standing to compel New York City to participate in federal immigration enforcement. He emphasized that no federal statute mandates state or local governments to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, and criticized the administration’s argument that the city’s sanctuary measures hinder federal enforcement as an unconstitutional encroachment on states' rights under the Tenth Amendment.
The sanctuary laws, enacted in 2014 under former Mayor Bill de Blasio, limit the communication and cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration agencies. These provisions restrict local agencies from sharing information about immigrant detainees’ custody status and release dates, and prohibit detaining individuals solely based on federal immigration requests.
The Trump administration’s lawsuit contended that New York City’s policies obstruct the enforcement of federal immigration law, invoking the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution to argue federal law should override local regulations. The suit cited incidents including the shooting of an off-duty Customs and Border Patrol officer and the arrest of undocumented migrants to illustrate what it described as risks posed by sanctuary policies. Defendants named in the suit included New York City, Mayor Eric Adams, former City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, the NYPD, and the Department of Correction.
Supporters of the sanctuary laws welcomed the ruling as a protection of local autonomy and immigrant communities. New York Immigration Coalition President Murad Awawdeh condemned the lawsuit as an overreach by the Trump administration, arguing it undermined the city’s ability to govern in ways that best serve its residents. New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ office issued statements framing the decision as a reaffirmation of public safety strategies that encourage immigrants to engage with local authorities without fear of deportation.
Judge Reyes’ decision follows heightened tensions between federal immigration agents and New York City residents, including a recent incident in which ICE agents shot an undocumented immigrant in the Bronx. The ruling underscores the ongoing legal and political disputes over the balance between federal immigration enforcement priorities and local sanctuary policies.
The Justice Department has not yet commented publicly on the judge’s dismissal.