Trump administration sues New York City as attacks on immigrants' rights continue
New York, New York - President Donald Trump's administration sued New York City and Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday over "sanctuary city" policies for immigrants without documentation.
New York is one of a number of US cities which prohibit local police from arresting people based on their immigration status and limit what information can be shared with federal authorities.
That has brought it in direct confrontation with Trump, who has waged war on immigrants' rights. Likening them to "animals" and "monsters," he promised to launch the biggest deportation drive in US history.
His Justice Department has previously sued Chicago, Los Angeles, and several other Democratic-run cities with sanctuary policies along with the states of Colorado and Illinois.
In the lawsuit against New York City, which has a large immigrant community, the Justice Department said sanctuary policies impede federal efforts to enforce immigration law.
"New York City has released thousands of criminals on the streets to commit violent crimes against law-abiding citizens due to sanctuary city policies," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. "If New York City won't stand up for the safety of its citizens, we will."
Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate claimed New York City "has been at the vanguard of interfering with enforcing our immigration laws.
"Its efforts to thwart federal immigration enforcement end now," he said.
The Trump administration filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles' sanctuary policies three weeks after the Republican president sent the National Guard to the city to quell protests against ICE raids terrorizing local communities.
Earlier this year, the Justice Department ordered federal prosecutors in New York to drop bribery and fraud charges against Adams, in what was largely seen as a blatant "quid pro quo" in exchange for the disgraced NY mayor's support for draconian immigration crackdowns.
Adams is running for re-election as an Independent in November's mayoral election, where he will face off against Zohran Mamdani, who sensationally won the Democratic primary in June.
Cover photo: REUTERS