Bondi Files Legal Action Against Additional “Sanctuary” States and Cities.

The Justice Department has initiated legal action against the state of New York, Governor Kathy Hochul, and Attorney General Letitia James concerning immigration enforcement, as announced by Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday.

“We are taking measures to safeguard American citizens,” Bondi remarked, asserting that “New York has opted to prioritize illegal immigrants over its own citizens.”

“We previously filed a lawsuit against Illinois, and since New York did not heed our warnings, it is now your turn,” Bondi added.

In response to the lawsuit, James stated, “Our state laws, including the Green Light law, are designed to protect the rights of all New Yorkers and ensure the safety of our communities.” She emphasized her commitment to defending these laws.

Bondi contended that New York state officials are legally obligated to inform undocumented immigrants when federal authorities seek information regarding their immigration status. This allegation is among several outlined in the federal complaint. During the press conference, Bondi also asserted that New York’s legislation unlawfully obstructs both federal and state law enforcement from executing immigration laws.

Later on Wednesday, Hochul issued a separate statement addressing the lawsuit, characterizing Bondi’s press conference as “smoke and mirrors,” and described the Justice Department’s lawsuit as “a routine civil action regarding a law enacted in 2019 that has consistently been upheld by the courts.”

“I will not permit federal agents, or any dubious operations like Elon Musk’s DOGE initiative, to gain unrestricted access to the personal information of any New Yorker in the DMV system, including vulnerable individuals such as 16-year-olds learning to drive,” Hochul stated in a press release. “As with previous attempts, we expect Pam Bondi’s frivolous, publicity-seeking lawsuit to be entirely unsuccessful. Let me be clear, New York will not yield,” Hochul concluded.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is not a party to the lawsuit. The Justice Department indicated on Tuesday that the legal action “has unduly limited Mayor Adams’ capacity.”Bondi later indicated that while the case against Adams had not yet been dismissed, she expected that federal prosecutors would soon withdraw the charges. “We are optimistic that in New York, Mayor Adams will collaborate with us regarding sanctuary cities and undocumented immigrants,” Bondi remarked.

At the press conference, Tammy Nobles, whose daughter was murdered by a member of the El Salvadorian MS-13 gang, spoke about the tragic loss of her child.

In her initial hours as attorney general, she issued a comprehensive set of directives aimed at sanctuary jurisdictions, mandating that they cease funding to entities that “illegally obstruct federal law enforcement operations.” She called for the department to take action against states or sanctuary cities that do not comply with federal immigration enforcement.

“State and local jurisdictions are required to adhere to relevant federal immigration laws,” a memorandum stated. It further emphasized that “state and local entities must not hinder, obstruct, or otherwise fail to comply with lawful immigration-related directives.” In another memorandum, Bondi concentrated on cartels and transnational criminal organizations, asserting that the department would strive for their “complete eradication” and that “additional resources and strategic charging decisions” would be necessary to address illegal drug trafficking.

Last week, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against the state of Illinois, the city of Chicago, and other local governments, alleging that their laws hindered the Trump administration’s ability to enforce immigration laws more stringently in the area.

In the early weeks of the Trump administration, Emil Bove, Bondi’s acting deputy, instructed Justice Department prosecutors across the nation to focus their prosecutions on the implementation of Mr. Trump’s immigration policies and suggested that they could pursue charges against state or local officials who obstructed their efforts.During the press conference on Thursday, Bondi responded to inquiries concerning Elon Musk’s criticisms of judges who have recently nullified actions taken by the Trump administration. In light of these judicial decisions, the tech billionaire and head of the Department of Government Efficiency has advocated for the dismissal of federal judges.

While Bondi admitted she had not reviewed Musk’s comments, she affirmed that the administration intends to appeal the unfavorable rulings and indicated that impeachment proceedings are not currently being considered.