A federal judge dismissed the Justice Department's lawsuit seeking to overturn Boston's Boston Trust Act, finding the administration lacked legal standing to sue. The Trust Act, adopted in 2014 and reaffirmed in December 2024, restricts local police cooperation with federal immigration authorities, including ICE. Judge Leo Sorokin noted a 2017 Massachusetts high court decision already prevents local officers from detaining migrants on federal civil detainers, meaning invalidating the ordinance would not give federal authorities the relief they sought.
Federal Judge Dismisses Trump Administration's Challenge To Boston 'Sanctuary' Trust Act
Mayor of Boston Michelle Wu speaks during a "No Kings" protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's policies, in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., October 18, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
BOSTON, May 28 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice that sought to overturn Boston's Boston Trust Act, ruling the administration lacked the legal standing required to pursue the challenge.
U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin of Boston concluded the DOJ had not shown a judicially cognizable injury that a favorable ruling would remedy. The suit, filed in September, named the City of Boston and Mayor Michelle Wu and targeted the Trust Act, a 2014 ordinance the city council reaffirmed in December 2024.
What the Trust Act does
The Boston Trust Act bars the Boston Police Department and other city officials from assisting federal agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with civil immigration enforcement. That includes refusing to detain migrants at federal request for potential deportation and limiting the sharing of certain personal information with immigration authorities.
Sorokin said that even if he invalidated Boston's ordinance, Massachusetts law and a 2017 ruling by the state's highest court would still prevent local officers from detaining non-citizens solely on a federal civil immigration detainer. "In Massachusetts, there is simply no source of authority empowering Boston police officers to do what the United States would like them to do," he wrote.
The judge — who was appointed by President Barack Obama — noted the Justice Department has lost a string of similar cases, with federal judges dismissing challenges in at least four other jurisdictions, including suits in Colorado, Illinois and New York. The administration has pursued roughly a dozen suits targeting laws adopted by so-called "sanctuary" jurisdictions.
"Today's ruling is a victory for the rule of law and for local governments across the country," said Jill Habig of the Public Rights Project, which helped defend Boston.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The ruling underscores the limits of federal authority over local law enforcement practices in states that have statutes or court precedents restricting cooperation with federal immigration detainers.
(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
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