A federal judge, appointed by Obama, has dismissed a lawsuit from the Trump administration against Rochester, New York, regarding its sanctuary city policies. The case stemmed from an event in March 2025, during which Rochester police helped Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest a Guatemalan man during a traffic stop.
Local officials criticized the police for breaching sanctuary city policies, leading to the officers undergoing further training. Subsequently, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the city, the mayor, and the city council president, alleging violations of the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution.
Judge Frank Geraci of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York rejected the federal government’s assertions, stating that Rochester’s sanctuary laws do not interfere with federal immigration enforcement. He noted in his ruling that these laws simply acknowledge the distinct roles of different governmental entities.
The judge maintained that Rochester’s policies affirm that police cannot engage in immigration enforcement, thus not imposing requirements on the federal government and not violating the intergovernmental immunity doctrine.
In a response to the ruling, White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis expressed concern, claiming that sanctuary policies compromise the safety of Americans. She referred to past incidents, such as the murder of a Georgia nursing student by an undocumented individual who had been released due to lack of detention space.
Rochester’s Mayor Malik Evans, a Democrat, responded to the ruling by stating that the lawsuit had been politically motivated and lacked legal merit. He emphasized Rochester’s commitment to public safety for all residents, rather than enforcing federal immigration law.
The court’s dismissal was with prejudice, indicating that the Department of Justice is barred from refiling the lawsuit against the city. Judge Geraci’s appointment was made by former President Barack Obama in 2012.
