(filed September 4, 2025)
U.S. v. City of Boston - The Trump Administration sued the City of Boston for their Trust Act that was passed in 2014 and has been amended (Bos., Mass., Code Ch. 11, § 1.9) and reaffirmed to strengthen their sanctuary law and the Boston Police Department’s refusal for honoring ICE immigration detainers. The City of Boston has requested the federal court to dismiss the case. On May 28, 2026, the court dismissed the government’s complaint without prejudice because the government failed to establish standing, meaning it did not adequately allege an injury that the court could redress. The court held that even if the ordinance were enjoined, Massachusetts law independently prohibits local officers from honoring ICE detainers, so the requested relief would not redress the government’s injuries. The court also found that the Trust Act’s information-sharing provisions (regarding information about a person’s release date and time and limited personal identifying information) do not conflict with 8 USC §§ 1373, 1644 because the ordinance preserves compliance with those statutes. On July 29, 2026, the government filed an appeal with the First Circuit Court of Appeals (No. 26-1852). The federal case is ongoing.