June 13 (UPI) -- The federal government has filed a suit against the state of New York over a law that has kept ICE enforcement out of its state courthouses.

The Department of Justice has named New York Gov. Kathleen Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James as the defendants in the lawsuit filed Thursday with the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of New York that seeks to have New York's "Protect Our Courts Act" ruled unlawful.

The act, signed into law in December of 2020, provides a "privilege against civil arrest" for anyone traveling to or from, or involved in court proceedings, whether that be for themselves or in support for family or household members when they need to appear in court.

The law further states that only judicially signed orders or warrants can be executed in court buildings, and such warrants must also be reviewed by the court, which then determines where and when a warrant can be executed, and how it may be implemented.

Related