Filed Date: Sept. 4, 2025
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
This is a case challenging Boston’s Trust Act (sanctuary city laws). The Trust Act, enacted in 2014, prohibits the Boston Police Department from detaining individuals on the basis of immigration status or civil immigration warrants . For more information on the many federal government challenges to sanctuary city laws, see here.
On September 4, 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed this lawsuit against the city of Boston in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The DOJ sued Boston under the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution, as well as 8 U.S.C. § 1373. § 1371 is a cause of action that pertains to obstructing communication to and from the Immigration Naturalization Services. Plaintiffs argued that the Trust Act interfered with federal law, in violation of the Constitution. Specifically, plaintiffs allege that the Trust Act interferes with ICE’s ability to carry out its immigration enforcement efforts, vested in the executive branch via (Constitutional clause). The complaint sought declaratory and injunctive relief to void Boston’s Trust Act. The case was assigned to District Judge Leo T. Sorokin.
This case is ongoing.
Summary Authors
Claire Pollard (9/6/2025)
Nithya Arun (10/13/2025)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71271696/parties/united-states-v-city-of-boston/
Sorokin, Leo Theodore (Massachusetts)
Hulseberg, Jordan (Massachusetts)
Wen, James (Massachusetts)
Dinning, Sam (Massachusetts)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71271696/united-states-v-city-of-boston/
Last updated Oct. 23, 2025, 11:47 a.m.
State / Territory: Massachusetts
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Trump 1.0 & 2.0 Immigration Enforcement Order Challenges
Trump Administration 2.0: Litigation and Investigations By the Government
Key Dates
Filing Date: Sept. 4, 2025
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
United States Government
Plaintiff Type(s):
U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA)
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Issues
Immigration/Border: