“In a complaint filed Monday at a federal court in Buffalo, the U.S. Department of Justice argues that the state law enacted as part of a $277 billion budget violates the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution, which says states can’t regulate federal activities within their borders.
“Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James late Monday announced they countersued to allow the law to go into effect later this summer. The dueling suits center around two provisions of the new law.
“The first prevents law enforcement officers — including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents — from concealing their faces while on duty and interacting with the public. The provision contains exceptions for undercover work. It’s set to take effect this week. The second provision prohibits formal 287(g) cooperation agreements between ICE and local law enforcement agencies.”
Read coverage by Jimmy Vielkind published Jun 23, 2026, in The Gothamist
Madison Swart for The New York Times, published June 23, 2026
Isabelle Taft/New York Focus
LaurieGoldstein