Justice Department Asks Supreme Court to Dismiss ‘Sanctuary City’ Immigration Suits

The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to dismiss three lawsuits over a Trump-era immigration policy that led some areas to declare themselves "sanctuary cities," NBC News reports.

The policy was part of an effort to get police departments to tell federal authorities when noncitizens were about to be released from custody.

In what began half-heartedly under former President Barack Obama and ratcheted up under former President Donald Trump, the Justice Department sought to withhold federal grants from local governments that refused to tell immigration agents when people in their custody were about to be released. The government also wanted access to local jails so immigration agents could question noncitizens in custody.

In brief letters to the Supreme Court, the Justice Department said the cases should be dismissed, indicating that the government will no longer seek to enforce the policy.