The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) files lawsuits against four states—Maine, Washington, Oregon, and Massachusetts—after they refuse to provide “undercover” or confidential license plates to federal immigration enforcement officers. According to DOJ, the states’ policies limit access to the plates for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and, in some accounts, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers. The department argues the states are required to provide the plates because they are issued to other law enforcement agencies operating undercover, and it says the refusal creates safety and operational concerns for federal agents.
The lawsuits follow a DOJ letter sent earlier in the month urging the jurisdictions to issue confidential plates. Multiple outlets report that the legal challenge is framed as a constitutional issue, with DOJ alleging the restrictions are unconstitutional and impede law enforcement activities. The Guardian notes that the states are led by Democratic governors and that the dispute is linked to ICE’s efforts to carry out arrests under the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement agenda. The cases are presented as separate actions against each state.
