WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — The Justice Department sued the State of New York, Governor Kathy Hochul, and Attorney General Letitia James on Wednesday, claiming the state’s immigration policies are interfering with federal enforcement efforts.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the suit, saying New York’s laws, including the Green Light Law, put illegal immigrants before American citizens and impede law enforcement. The suit, filed in Albany County federal court, comes a week after the department sued Illinois and Chicago.
“We sued Illinois, and New York didn’t listen, so now, you’re next,” Bondi said at a press conference.
New York’s Green Light Law allows undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses and prohibits federal agencies from accessing their data without a court order. Bondi said this law impeded immigration enforcement and put officers in danger.
Hochul called the lawsuit “smoke and mirrors,” saying it is against a law upheld by courts since 2019. In a statement, she said, “New York is not backing down.”
James also defended state policies, saying, “Our state laws protect all New Yorkers and keep our communities safe. I am prepared to defend them.”
Bondi was joined at the press conference by Tammy Nobles, whose daughter was killed by an MS-13 gang member from El Salvador in 2022. The case, unrelated to New York, was part of the administration’s broader crackdown on undocumented immigrants connected to violent crime.
The suit is part of an ongoing standoff between the Trump administration and Democrat-controlled states over immigration enforcement. Bondi said similar actions could be taken against other states that are not complying with federal directives.
