Boston’s ‘sanctuary city’ law impedes ICE operations, DOJ says in lawsuit
As a judge weighs whether to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice against Boston over its "sanctuary city" law , federal officials claim the city impedes and obstructs immigration agents from enforcing laws.
Mayor Michelle Wu previously called the lawsuit an "unconstitutional attack" on Boston, and city officials are seeking to have the case dismissed.
In the latest filing from Wednesday, the Justice Department argues against the lawsuit's dismissal and claims the city's Trust Act "creates a substantial obstacle" to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
The federal government also claims the Trust Act regulates where and how its immigration officers may make civil arrests and "discriminatorily restricts disclosure of information only to federal immigration authorities."
"Further obstruction of the enforcement of the nation's immigration laws must be prevented," the latest filings read.
The lawsuit stems from a contention between the Trump administration and Boston officials over the city's Trust Act, which prohibits city officers from working with ICE on civil immigration efforts. The law was first signed in 2014.
The law also prevents police officers from asking people about their immigration status and making arrests or holding people based on ICE administrative warrants if there are no criminal charges. It also prevents police from "performing the functions of an immigration officer."
Attorney General Pam Bondi has aggressively attacked Boston leaders, calling its mayor "among the worst sanctuary offenders in America" and saying that the city's policies are "designed to undermine law enforcement and protect illegal aliens from justice."
In turn, Wu declared she would defend the city's laws and uphold its constitutional rights.
"This administration is intent on attacking our community to advance their own authoritarian agenda," Wu said when the DOJ filed its lawsuit in September 2025.
A Boston Globe/Suffolk University poll last year found that, by and large, Bostonians support the Trust Act's limitations on Boston Police's cooperation with ICE. The Trust Act is also in line with a 2017 ruling by Massachusetts' highest court that found that, under state law, local officials cannot detain a person based on civil immigration law violations alone.
In November, city officials filed a three-page legal brief seeking to dismiss the federal government's lawsuit, stating that the lawsuit failed to state any claims that federal law preempts, or overrides, the Trust Act. The brief also states that federal officials failed to state any claims that the city's law "impermissibly discriminates" or "regulates" the United States.
A federal judge has not yet weighed in on whether to dismiss the case. The lawsuit names the City of Boston, Wu, Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox and the Boston Police Department as defendants.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell filed a legal brief in November supporting the city's motion to dismiss.
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