New York City and New York State filed lawsuits jointly Monday in Manhattan Federal Court to challenge Trump administration policies that would target immigrants for deportation based on their lawful use of public benefits.
The cases, brought by a coalition of states and cities led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and Mayor Zohran Mamdani, seek to halt what officials described as "catastrophic" new government policies from taking effect.
The lawsuits challenge a new policy under the Trump administration that would use immigrants' lawful access to public benefits as grounds for deportation proceedings. New York officials characterized the rule as targeting vulnerable populations who had complied with legal requirements to access assistance programs.
Attorney General James and Mayor Mamdani have previously coordinated on immigration enforcement matters. In August, they held a joint press conference at the governor's Manhattan office addressing concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement overreach.
The Manhattan Federal Court filings represent a coordinated legal challenge by multiple jurisdictions opposed to the administration's approach. The coalition of states and cities indicated their intent to prevent the policies from being implemented while the cases proceed through the courts.