WA among 4 states sued by DOJ over license plate policies for federal agents

The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed lawsuits against four states on Wednesday over their unconstitutional policies that deny federal agents confidential license plates.

Washington, Oregon, Maine, and Massachusetts all refused to rescind their unconstitutional policies after a letter from the DOJ explained that the policies were illegal, the DOJ announced.

Specifically, the DOJ argued in the suits that the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause bars state governments from regulating federal law enforcement. The department previously sent letters asking state officials to justify their policies.

DOJ says state policies put federal agents at risk

The department alleged that the unconstitutional policies threatened the operational effectiveness and safety of federal agents who have been under harassment while on the job.

“By denying undercover license plates to DHS [Department of Homeland Security] components, including ICE, while issuing them to their own state agencies, these governors are pursuing discriminatory and obstructionist policies against federal law enforcement,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. “These actions undermine federal immigration enforcement, allow dangerous criminals to escape justice, and terrorize American communities.”

DOJ noted that if federal agents are not allowed confidential plates, dangerous criminals can track and evade law enforcement. The administration asserted that federal agents “frequently investigate and apprehend violent criminals, including cartel members, gang members, sex offenders, human traffickers, and other violent offenders,” and said making those authorities easily identifiable subjects them to increased harassment and potential physical harm.

Part of a broader battle between the administration, sanctuary states

The arguments mirror the Trump administration’s defense of federal agents wearing masks during their deployments to American cities.

The White House and Department of Homeland Security have maintained the agency’s mask policy, and the administration has already won a federal court order blocking a California law that barred law enforcement officials from covering their faces in the state.

Additionally, the administration has been at odds with various sanctuary cities where local law enforcement does not assist federal authorities with immigration enforcement. Blanche has instructed the DOJ’s Civil Division to identify all state and local laws, policies, and practices that could impede what the administration describes as “lawful federal operations.”

Contributing: The Associated Press

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