New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a legal brief in support of the City of Rochester as it fights to uphold its sanctuary city status amid a federal crackdown on such laws.
The Trump administration sued the city in April, claiming that a local policy that restricts police cooperation with immigration officials is illegally impeding federal attempts to control illegal immigration.
Rochester found itself under a federal microscope after city police officers were publicly reprimanded by the mayor and police chief for assisting immigration agents during a traffic stop in late March. The immigration officers had called for emergency backup from RPD. When police arrived, however, they found no apparent emergency. Still, they proceeded to remove and handcuff two undocumented individuals from a work van in direct violation of RPD’s sanctuary city policy.
The arrests were part of an aggressive federal deportation effort, which continues this summer. But it was the city’s response that spurred the federal lawsuit and a visit from Trump’s border czar Thomas Homan.
AG defends Rochester’s sanctuary city policy
On July 30, the attorney general filed an amicus brief asking a federal judge to uphold Rochester’s policy. James said the law is constitutional, rightfully places decisions around police power in the hands of the state and local municipalities, and promotes an environment where undocumented immigrants can freely report crimes, serve as witnesses and seek medical care or social services without fear of deportation.
Rochester has been a so-called sanctuary city since 1986.
“For years, these laws in Rochester and cities throughout New York have kept New Yorkers safe,” she said in a statement. “The Trump administration’s attacks on immigrant communities are cruel and shameful. Rochester’s law is constitutional, and my office will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect New Yorkers.”
Last week, a federal judge dismissed a similar lawsuit that tried to dismantle sanctuary city policies in Cook County, Chicago and the state of Illinois.
— Kayla Canne covers community safety for the Democrat and Chronicle with a focus on police accountability, government surveillance and how people are impacted by violence. Follow her on Twitter @kaylacanne and @bykaylacanne on Instagram. Get in touch at kcanne@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: NY AG defends Rochester in fight against Trump, DOJ over sanctuary city policies
Reporting by Kayla Canne, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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