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US Judge Tosses Trump Administration Lawsuit Over New York City 'Sanctuary' Laws
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By Reuters
Published 1 hour ago on
October 15, 2026

Demonstrators march in Lower Manhattan in response to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shooting in New York City, US, October 9, 2026. (Reuters File)

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A federal judge on Thursday threw out a Trump administration lawsuit that sought to block New York City laws limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, finding the government did not have a valid basis to sue.

• US District Judge Ramon Reyes in Brooklyn said President Donald Trump’s administration could not challenge a city law barring police from detaining immigrants at the request of federal authorities because that practice is already prohibited by state law.

• The judge also said city laws restricting local authorities from sharing release dates, whereabouts or other custody information about immigrants were valid because federal law does not require state and local governments to share that information.

• Reyes rejected the administration’s arguments that federal law superseded the challenged New York City laws, finding the federal government could not force local governments to assist with immigration enforcement.

• The administration filed the lawsuit in New York federal court in July 2025 as part of its campaign against so-called sanctuary city policies, which aim to shield immigrants from Trump’s mass deportation campaign.

• The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.

(Reporting by Jack Queen in New York; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

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