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Courts Hand DOJ Setbacks, Block Voter Matching, Uphold ICE Ban

8/5/2026

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Summary

DOJ Faces Defeats

Judge Philip Brimmer dismissed the Colorado case, the DOJ’s 20th loss.
Judges Kymberly Evanson (Washington) and Colleen Lawless (Illinois) rejected the DOJ’s Civil Rights Act claim, citing Raymond Yang’s view that no factual basis exists for demanding IDs and Social Security numbers.
A court blocked the department’s DHS SAVE voter-file matching plan, while the Brennan Center notes at least 16 Republican-led states still share full voter databases.

Summary

NY Court Upholds

New York court upheld the 287(g) ban that bars police from assisting ICE.
Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James said the decision will keep people safe and stop ICE funding.
Republican candidates, including Lt. Gov. Bruce Blakeman, say the ban threatens safety and must be reversed.
The prohibition takes effect on Aug. 25, with Department of Justice (DOJ) lawyers claiming it violates Supremacy Clause.

History

Historical Context

The 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, signed by President Bill Clinton, created the 287(g) partnership that lets state and local police act as immigration officers under ICE supervision. By 2005 the program operated in 31 states and over 100 agencies, rising to 142 agencies by 2021. Today judges such as Philip Brimmer and New York courts are challenging that federal-state enforcement model.

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DOJ Faces Defeats

Judge Philip Brimmer dismissed the Colorado case, the DOJ’s 20th loss.
Judges Kymberly Evanson (Washington) and Colleen Lawless (Illinois) rejected the DOJ’s Civil Rights Act claim, citing Raymond Yang’s view that no factual basis exists for demanding IDs and Social Security numbers.
A court blocked the department’s DHS SAVE voter-file matching plan, while the Brennan Center notes at least 16 Republican-led states still share full voter databases.

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