DOJ Sues Four States Over Undercover License Plates for Federal Agents
The Justice Department has sued Oregon, Washington, Maine and Massachusetts over state policies restricting confidential or undercover license plates for federal law enforcement vehicles. DOJ says the policies violate the Supremacy Clause by treating federal agencies differently from state and local law enforcement and by interfering with federal immigration operations.
The Oregon complaint says the state paused confidential plates for federal agencies while continuing them for state and local law enforcement. The Washington complaint says the state suspended issuance and renewal of undercover plates for DHS-affiliated entities after a Homeland Security Investigations request.
State officials are defending the restrictions as a response to civil immigration enforcement concerns. The practical stakes are larger than vehicle registration: courts may now decide how far states can go in refusing to provide routine state tools to federal agents carrying out immigration enforcement.
Subscribe free for daily political analysis they won’t broadcast. Join 110K+ readers →