Trump Administration Loses Boston Immigration Case in Latest Sanctuary-City Court Setback
A federal judge has dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit against the City of Boston over its sanctuary-city policy, dealing another setback to the administration’s nationwide effort to challenge local limits on immigration enforcement.
U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin ruled that the federal government lacked standing to pursue the case because striking down Boston’s Trust Act would not overcome separate Massachusetts laws that already restrict local officers from holding people solely for federal immigration authorities.
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The decision quickly drew praise from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and immigration-rights groups, who argued the ruling protects local control and community trust. The administration has filed similar lawsuits against multiple states and cities as part of a broader push to increase cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The ruling could have implications beyond Boston by complicating similar legal challenges in other states where immigration-related restrictions are backed by state law rather than local ordinances alone.
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