A federal court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration targeting Boston’s sanctuary city immigration policies.
U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin, based in Boston, determined the U.S. Department of Justice did not have proper legal standing to bring the case forward. This represents one of approximately twelve similar legal challenges the department has pursued against jurisdictions with sanctuary policies led by Democrats.
The September lawsuit targeted the city and Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu, specifically challenging the Boston Trust Act, which was originally passed in 2014. City council members renewed their backing of the ordinance in December 2024 ahead of Trump’s return to the presidency.
Under this ordinance, the Boston Police Department and other municipal officials are prohibited from working with federal agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, on civil immigration matters. This includes restrictions on holding migrants for possible deportation or providing their personal details.
Federal attorneys contended these restrictions interfered with immigration enforcement activities and violated both the U.S. Constitution and federal immigration statutes.
However, Judge Sorokin, who received his appointment from Democratic President Barack Obama, concluded the administration could not prove it had proper legal standing to contest the policy. He also found they failed to show how a favorable court decision would address the alleged damages the federal government claimed to experience.
The judge noted that even if Boston’s ordinance were struck down, local police still would not be permitted to provide the assistance ICE sought. This is due to a 2017 decision by Massachusetts’ top court during Trump’s initial presidency that prevented state law enforcement from holding non-citizens based exclusively on federal civil immigration detainers.
“In Massachusetts, there is simply no source of authority empowering Boston police officers to do what the United States would like them to do,” Sorokin wrote.
The Justice Department has not provided a response to requests for comment.
Judge Sorokin’s decision indicates the Justice Department has been unsuccessful in all comparable cases against municipalities and states with sanctuary policies, with courts rejecting four additional lawsuits in Colorado, Illinois and New York.
“Today’s ruling is a victory for the rule of law and for local governments across the country,” Jill Habig, whose group the Public Rights Project helped defend Boston against the lawsuit, said in a statement.
