The Department of Homeland Security was specifically restricted in access to confidential plates, due to immigration enforcement activities in the Democratic-led states, but all four states continued issuing such plates to state and local law enforcement, according to the complaints. Letters were sent to each state by the DOJ shortly after the policies were put in place, but all four states refused to rescind the plate restrictions, resulting in the lawsuit filed Wednesday.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said blue states’ policies put law enforcement officers at risk, and the lawsuits reflect the department’s effort to “support the brave men and women of law enforcement.”
“Law enforcement officers risk their lives every day to keep Americans safe and must be able to carry out their duties effectively,” Blanche said. “By denying undercover license plates to DHS components, including ICE, while issuing them to their own state agencies, these governors are pursuing discriminatory and obstructionist policies against federal law enforcement.”
“These actions undermine federal immigration enforcement, allow dangerous criminals to escape justice, and terrorize American communities,” he added.
