Federal judge dismisses Trump administration lawsuit against Washtenaw County’s sanctuary policies

A federal judge dismissed the Trump administration's lawsuit against Washtenaw County, Michigan, which alleged the county's sanctuary policies illegally obstructed federal immigration enforcement. Judge F. Kay Behm ruled that neither the federal government nor the president can 'conscript local officials to enforce their will,' citing established Tenth Amendment limits on federal power over local governments.

The contested policies included prosecutors weighing immigration consequences in charging decisions, sheriff's deputies declining to detain people for ICE without a judicial warrant, and county commissioners barring immigration officers from county property absent a warrant. The government had argued these policies unconstitutionally obstructed federal law enforcement.

Behm found that a refusal to cooperate does not amount to discrimination against the federal government and is not constitutionally prohibited, concluding the county had simply exercised its constitutional authority.

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