The Trump administration isn’t messing around. They won’t sit idly by while Americans suffer.
And the Trump DOJ is laying an epic smackdown on this Democrat governor for one insane reason.
Justice Department Sues New York Over Immigration Policy
The Justice Department announced on Wednesday that it has filed a lawsuit against the state of New York for its policy that limits cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Attorney General Pam Bondi is leading the charge, targeting Governor Kathy Hochul (D), state Attorney General Letitia James, and DMV chief Mark Schroeder.
“This is a new DOJ,” Bondi declared. “New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens. It stops. It stops today.”
The lawsuit, which was filed in the Northern District of New York and collected by the New York Post, takes aim at the state’s controversial “Green Light Law,” which permits undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses. The law, enacted in 2019, also restricts state officials from inquiring about immigration status and prevents the DMV from sharing personal information with federal authorities without a judicial order. Additionally, license holders are notified if federal agencies request access to their records.
“The United States is currently facing a crisis of illegal immigration. And the Federal Government is set to put a stop to it,” the complaint states. “While States are welcome partners in that effort, it is the prerogative as separate sovereigns to refrain. But a State’s freedom to stand aside is not a freedom to stand in the way. And where inaction crosses into obstruction, a State breaks the law. The State of New York is doing just that. It must be stopped.”
According to the filing, DMV records are essential for immigration enforcement, helping federal agents identify and remove individuals in the country illegally while ensuring officer safety.
“From vehicle stops to border crossings to executing arrests and searches, immigration authorities depend on these records to assess real-time the situations they face and the people they encounter,” the complaint argues. “But New York’s Green Light Law deprives them of this insight; and in turn, unnecessarily forces brave law enforcement officers into dangers and uncertain circumstances.”
Governor Hochul’s press secretary, Avi Small, responded ahead of the lawsuit’s filing, stating that Hochul supports deporting violent criminals but believes “law-abiding families should not be targets” and will only coordinate with federal authorities when a judicial warrant is issued.
State Attorney General Letitia James also pushed back. “Our state laws, including the Green Light law, protect the rights of all New Yorkers and keep our communities safe. I am prepared to defend our laws, just as I always have,” she said in a statement.
A source familiar with the situation told the New York Post that Hochul and President Trump have “tentatively agreed” to meet in Washington, D.C., next week during the National Governors Association meeting to discuss the issue further.
The lawsuit comes on the heels of the Justice Department’s recent request for a federal judge to strike down sanctuary policies in Illinois and Chicago, arguing that such measures obstruct federal immigration enforcement. Bondi wasted no time in making her stance clear, freezing all DOJ funding for 60 days to jurisdictions with sanctuary policies, including those in New York and California.
In 2023, New York City alone received over $1.56 billion in federal law enforcement grants, according to the Center for Immigration Services, a conservative nonprofit organization. The DOJ had been projected to allocate more than $8 billion to city agencies in fiscal year 2025. However, Bondi has directed her department to halt any new contracts or grants benefiting organizations that provide services to undocumented immigrants.
Meanwhile, immigration enforcement efforts under border czar Tom Homan have intensified, with 11,000 migrants facing deportation due to criminal charges or convictions. Some individuals have been flown to the U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay, while others have been returned to their home countries, including Venezuela and Colombia. The latter nation has come under pressure from Trump’s administration, facing potential import taxes.
For years, Republican lawmakers in Democratic-led states have sought to dismantle sanctuary policies, often citing crimes committed by individuals who evaded federal custody. Trump’s first legislative action upon returning to the White House was to curb local protections for undocumented immigrants by mandating deportation for those charged with theft, assault, or serious violent crimes.
One of the most high-profile measures signed into law, the Laken Riley Act, was named after a 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia who was m*rdered by an undocumented immigrant with a criminal record. The suspect, Jose Ibarra, had crossed the southern border under the Biden administration’s policies and had prior charges, including child endangerment, in Queens, New York.
On his first day back in office, Trump issued an executive order directing Bondi to review state and local sanctuary policies, revoke federal funding, and impose penalties on jurisdictions refusing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. In collaboration with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Bondi has also been authorized to reclaim federal funds deemed unlawful or misused.
President Trump and the DOJ are making it clear that they aren’t playing around when it comes to immigration enforcement. States with sanctuary cities will either cooperate with federal immigration authorities or they’ll pay the price.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
