(WNY News Now) New York Attorney General Letitia James reiterates the state’s commitment to defending immigrant rights while denouncing the latest immigration enforcement memo from the U.S. Department of Justice.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) memo urging state and local law enforcement agencies to support federal immigration enforcement activities was sharply criticized by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
As an effort by the federal government to coerce state and local officials into approving mass deportations, James denounced the letter. Attorney General James stated that the President is attempting to compel state and local governments to carry out his mass deportations. We will not allow New York to be coerced into breaching the law in order to keep a campaign pledge. We shall not passively watch as the Constitution is weakened.
New York State has regulations that restrict collaboration with federal immigration enforcement activities while protecting immigrants. All law enforcement and officials in New York should continue to abide by those laws.
I will always enforce our laws and defend the rights of all New Yorkers, including immigrants, in my capacity as attorney general.
Attorney General James has also issued revised instructions for local law enforcement agencies, which can be found on the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) website, in addition to her public statement. Clarifying the legal framework pertaining to collaboration with federal immigration activities is the goal of the guideline.