A federal judge has dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit seeking to block New York City’s sanctuary laws, ruling that the federal government cannot compel local officials to enforce civil immigration regulations. The decision, issued Thursday by U.S. District Judge Ramón E. Reyes Jr. in Brooklyn, marks another legal setback for efforts to challenge sanctuary policies in jurisdictions nationwide.
Judge Reyes, appointed by President Joseph R. Biden Jr. in 2023, determined that the federal government lacked standing to bring the case and emphasized constitutional protections that prevent cities and states from being forced to use their own resources to implement immigration enforcement, which falls under federal authority. In his 25-page ruling, the judge cited prior extensive legal analysis and underscored the principle that federal mandates cannot commandeer local agencies.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat, welcomed the ruling, saying it reaffirmed that the federal government “cannot commandeer our city workers to do its bidding.” He called the decision a victory for New Yorkers and criticized ICE’s deportation efforts as “cruel,” arguing that the lawsuit sought to turn city public servants into “deportation agents” while diverting local resources.
The Justice Department had not provided an immediate comment following the ruling.
This legal development comes shortly after an ICE officer shot and wounded 28-year-old Dominican man Oscar Belgal in Upper Manhattan during an attempted arrest while Belgal was in his car with his young son. The Department of Homeland Security used Belgal’s criminal record to argue that sanctuary policies hindered removal efforts and allowed individuals with serious convictions to remain in the community.
Democratic leaders in New York attributed the shooting to ICE’s aggressive tactics. Since early 2025, ICE agents have reportedly discharged firearms in over two dozen incidents nationwide, including at demonstrators.
New York’s sanctuary laws, enacted in 2014 under then-Mayor Bill de Blasio, substantially restrict the city’s Police Department and jail officials from cooperating with ICE detainer requests, except under specific conditions. These conditions include detaining individuals convicted of certain violent felonies such as rape or murder and only when ICE presents a judicial warrant. The laws also impose strict limits on information sharing between city agencies and ICE.
The Justice Department’s lawsuit, filed in July 2025 during Mayor Eric Adams’s administration, contended that the city’s limitations on honoring ICE detainers had led to the release of numerous criminals who should have been held for immigration removal. The suit argued that New York’s policy forced ICE to conduct street-level enforcement operations, increasing risks for agents and the public alike.
Advocates for the sanctuary laws maintain that the measures help build trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement, encouraging undocumented residents to report crimes, cooperate with investigations, and access medical services without fear of deportation.