Judge Dismisses Justice Dept. Suit Over Boston Immigration

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by the Justice Department against the city of Boston over its local immigration enforcement policy. The ruling, issued Thursday by U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin, found the federal government lacked the legal standing to challenge the city's ordinance.

The lawsuit, filed last September against the city and Mayor Michelle Wu, targeted the Boston Trust Act. This law, first enacted in 2014 and reaffirmed by the city council in late 2024, prohibits Boston police and other city officials from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on civil immigration enforcement. This includes refusing to detain individuals based solely on federal immigration detainers or to share personal information for civil deportation purposes. The policy maintains cooperation in criminal investigations.

The Justice Department argued that the ordinance obstructed federal immigration enforcement, violated the Constitution, and was preempted by federal law. It claimed the policy resulted in individuals accused of crimes, including assault and human trafficking, being released into the community.

In his dismissal, Judge Sorokin ruled that the...