New York Attorney General Letitia James has announced a new initiative aimed at monitoring federal immigration enforcement activities within the state, in a bid to curb what she describes as "tragically" violent and unaccountable operations.
Dubbed the "Legal Observation Project," the initiative will involve the deployment of trained observers wearing purple vests to document on-the-ground enforcement actions. The aim is to identify potential legal violations and inform future action from the Attorney General's office.
The move comes as federal immigration enforcement activities are under intense scrutiny nationwide, following high-profile incidents in Minneapolis where thousands of DHS personnel have been deployed. James has expressed concerns about the scale and lack of oversight in such operations.
"Noting the lessons learned in Minnesota, where federal operations have tragically escalated without transparency or accountability," James stated. "We're taking proactive steps to ensure that our state's immigration enforcement activities remain within the bounds of the law."
The observers will not interfere with enforcement activity but will document events through submission of videos and other documentation via an online portal. The project seeks to assess whether federal immigration enforcement complies with both local, state, and federal laws.
A Department of Homeland Security response to the initiative was unavailable at press time.
Dubbed the "Legal Observation Project," the initiative will involve the deployment of trained observers wearing purple vests to document on-the-ground enforcement actions. The aim is to identify potential legal violations and inform future action from the Attorney General's office.
The move comes as federal immigration enforcement activities are under intense scrutiny nationwide, following high-profile incidents in Minneapolis where thousands of DHS personnel have been deployed. James has expressed concerns about the scale and lack of oversight in such operations.
"Noting the lessons learned in Minnesota, where federal operations have tragically escalated without transparency or accountability," James stated. "We're taking proactive steps to ensure that our state's immigration enforcement activities remain within the bounds of the law."
The observers will not interfere with enforcement activity but will document events through submission of videos and other documentation via an online portal. The project seeks to assess whether federal immigration enforcement complies with both local, state, and federal laws.
A Department of Homeland Security response to the initiative was unavailable at press time.