Case: United States v. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
1:26-cv-12401 | U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Filed Date: May 27, 2026
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
Case Summary
This case concerns whether the Supremacy Clause barred Massachusetts from denying confidential license plates to federal immigration agents while continuing to provide them to other law enforcement.
The United States of America filed this complaint on May 27, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts against the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and several state officials sued in their official capacities: Governor Maura Healey, Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Interim Secretary of Transportation Phillip Eng, and Registrar of Motor Vehicles Colleen Ogilvie. This was not a class action. The complaint alleged that Massachusetts had long operated a confidential license plate program available to numerous law enforcement agencies. Federal participants included the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). After President Donald J. Trump took office for the second time in January 2025, however, Massachusetts changed its policy and refused to issue confidential plates to ICE and CBP while continuing to issue them to other agencies. Governor Healey's office justified the change by asserting that ICE was not engaged in "legitimate criminal law enforcement work," and the United States contended this rationale was pretextual, noting that the Commonwealth's own application forms and internal policies drew no civil-versus-criminal distinction for other agencies. The complaint further alleged that the policy endangered federal officers and compromised undercover operations and immigration enforcement. Represented by attorneys from the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts, the United States asserted two counts under the Supremacy Clause: unlawful discrimination against the federal government and unlawful regulation of the federal government. It sought declaratory relief, a permanent injunction against enforcement of the policy as to ICE and CBP, and costs and fees.
The case was initially assigned to Magistrate Judge Jessica D. Hedges. After the United States declined to consent to proceed before a magistrate judge, the case was reassigned to District Judge William G. Young on June 25, 2026. On June 29, 2026, Attorney General Campbell moved to dismiss the claims against her, arguing that the complaint did not allege she had any role in developing, promulgating, implementing, or enforcing the confidential registration policy, and that it alleged nothing more than that she served as Attorney General. The United States filed no opposition. Judge Young granted the motion on July 20, 2026, dismissing all claims against Campbell for substantially the reasons stated in her motion and, under the district's local rules, because no opposition had been filed. The dismissal reached only Campbell; the claims against the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the remaining officials continued. A companion suit advancing the same confidential-plate theory against another state, United States v. State of Washington, was pending simultaneously.
As of August 2026, the case remained ongoing in the district court against the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its remaining officials, with service completed on all defendants, no preliminary injunction sought or entered, and no ruling on the merits of the Supremacy Clause claims.
Summary Authors
Trump2.0 Collection (6/7/2026)
Simon Jillson (8/3/2026)
People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73400637/parties/united-states-v-the-commonwealth-of-massachusetts/
Young, William G. (Massachusetts)
Faso, Alessandra (Massachusetts)
Bahal, Tasha J. (Massachusetts)
Fowler, Erin E. (Massachusetts)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73400637/united-states-v-the-commonwealth-of-massachusetts/
Last updated Sept. 23, 2026, 3:23 a.m.
Docket for: United States v. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Public Benefits/Government Services
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Litigation and Investigations By the Government
Key Dates
Filing Date: May 27, 2026
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Plaintiff is the United States of America, suing to enforce the Supremacy Clause and protect federal immigration-enforcement operations against the Massachusetts confidential-plate policy.
Plaintiff Type(s):
U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff
Attorney Organizations:
U.S. Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
State
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Defendant Type(s):
Facility Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2201
Ex parte Young (federal or state officials)
Constitutional Clause(s):
Other Dockets:
District of Massachusetts 1:26-cv-12401
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Sought:
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General/Misc.:
Immigration/Border:
Undocumented immigrants - state and local regulation
Case Summary of United States v. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/48198/ (last updated 8/3/2026).