The state of New York began a legal battle against the Administration of President Donald Trump to defend a package of state laws related to the application of immigration policies and the actions of law enforcement, in a new clash between state and federal authorities over the scope of powers in immigration matters.

The lawsuit was filed by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and state Attorney General Letitia James after federal officials warned of possible legal action to block new provisions passed by the state Legislature.

Among the challenged measures stands out a law that will go into effect this week and that requires that local, state and federal police officers be fully identifiable during public operations. The regulations prohibit the use of masks or facial coverings that hide the identity of agents, with specific exceptions, and requires the visible display of official credentials and information.

According to state authorities, the legislation seeks to strengthen transparency, accountability and public trust in law enforcement.

New dispute over immigration policy

The lawsuit also defends other legislation that limits local governments and law enforcement agencies from collaborating with federal immigration programs. The so-called Local Police and Local Crimes Law prevents municipal authorities from entering into agreements that allow them to act as federal immigration agents or detain people solely for alleged civil infractions related to their immigration status.

Likewise, the law restricts the use of public resources for the operation of detention centers for immigrants subject to civil proceedings. Hochul said the new laws reflect New York's priorities in public safety and management of state resources.

"Public trust is fundamental to police work. Residents have the right to know who is enforcing the law in their communities," the governor said when announcing the judicial action.

For his part, James argued that the lack of visible identification by some federal agents during immigration operations generates uncertainty among the population and makes it difficult to supervise possible abuses.

The state constitutional argument

The controversy intensified after the federal government indicated that it considers several of the provisions approved by New York illegal and anticipated actions to prevent their implementation. State authorities maintain that the Trump Administration intends to interfere with powers reserved to the states under the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which recognizes state powers in matters not expressly delegated to the federal government.

The lawsuit asks the federal court for a declaration confirming the validity of the new laws and an order preventing the federal government from blocking their application. The conflict occurs amid the tightening of immigration policies promoted by the White House and the growing tensions between states governed by Democrats and the Republican administration regarding immigration control operations.

If the litigation succeeds, the case could become a new judicial reference on the limits of cooperation between local and federal authorities in immigration matters, as well as on the powers of states to regulate the conduct of agents operating within their territories.

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