February 5, 2026
James’s announcement comes as the Trump administration plans to increase immigration enforcement nationwide.
New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a new initiative to send legal observers to monitor immigration enforcement statewide.
Trained personnel will observe and document immigration activity as part of the Legal Observation Project. These legal observers in New York will collect reports of immigration enforcement actions happening throughout the state, serve as neutral witnesses on the ground, and record information that may “inform legal action,” James announced Tuesday.
Her announcement comes as the Trump administration plans to increase immigration enforcement nationwide. It also comes amid public scrutiny and protests happening nationwide after federal immigration agents shot and killed two American citizens in Minneapolis, Renee Good and Alex Pretti. People nationwide have criticized the use of excessive force by immigration officers.
“We have seen in Minnesota how quickly and tragically federal operations can escalate in the absence of transparency and accountability,” said James. “My office is launching the Legal Observation Project to examine federal enforcement activity in New York and whether it remains within the bounds of the law.”
DHS Accuses New York Attorney General of Supporting Sanctuary City Laws
According to the New York Times, Department of Homeland Security Spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, accused James of backing sanctuary-city laws that the department said have prohibited cooperation between immigration agents and state and city law enforcement agencies, particularly in jails. The attorney general’s office, however, does not enact these laws. City and county leaders do.
“ICE law enforcement wouldn’t have to be in the field in New York if we had state and local cooperation,” McLaughlin said in a statement. “Letitia James is not letting that happen, which puts New Yorkers in danger.”
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill, especially Democrats, are calling for Trump to scale back his mass deportation operations. They’re also calling for tighter restrictions, such as requiring immigration agents to wear body cameras and mandating that agents show their faces rather than wear masks.
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