New York AG Defends Rochester Sanctuary Law in Federal DOJ Lawsuit

New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed an amicus brief supporting the City of Rochester in its legal battle against the Department of Justice's lawsuit challenging the city's sanctuary city policies. James argues that Rochester's sanctuary law, which limits local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement in civil matters while allowing cooperation on criminal issues, is constitutional under the Tenth Amendment, which grants states and localities authority over public safety. The DOJ contends that Rochester's policies violate the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution by interfering with federal immigration law enforcement. The sanctuary law, established in 1986 and strengthened in 2017, aims to build trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities by allowing undocumented immigrants to report crimes and seek services without fear of deportation. The dispute escalated after Rochester police officers assisted federal agents in a March traffic stop, which city officials say violated sanctuary policies. James criticizes the Trump administration's approach as harmful to immigrant communities and emphasizes that local control over policing is essential for public safety.