New York, NY—Yeserday, Judge Mae Avila D'Agostino in the Northern District of New York dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit against New York State over limits on federal immigration enforcement at state and local courts. In 2020, the NYS enacted the Protect Our Courts Act and two executive orders that prohibited federal immigration agents from making arrests at courthouses without having a judicial warrant. The lawsuit challenging this was filed by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. This ruling does not affect immigration arrests at 26 Federal Plaza or other federal courthouses.
Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition:
“Every New Yorker deserves to participate in our justice system without fear that just by showing up to court, they will be abducted and separated from their families. When ICE arrests people who show up for their court cases, it disincentivizes people from following the legal processes set forth in our country. Courthouses must be a place of justice, not a trap used to terrorize and disappear immigrant New Yorkers. Judge D'Agostino’s ruling is an important step towards maintaining the integrity of local and state courts in New York. New York must further its commitment to the safety of all New Yorkers by passing the New York For All Act, and the federal government must stop its unlawful detentions of New Yorkers at federal immigration courts throughout the state.”