Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, May 31: The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed lawsuits against four states — Maine, Washington, Oregon and Massachusetts — alleging that their refusal to issue confidential licence plates to federal immigration agents is unconstitutional and discriminatory.
The lawsuits, filed on May 27, follow letters sent by the DOJ to the states on May 12, urging them to reverse policies that deny undercover or confidential licence plates to federal immigration enforcement agencies.
According to the department, federal agents often rely on confidential licence plates to conceal their identities and investigative activities from criminal suspects and the public. Such plates prevent vehicles from being easily traced to government agencies through public records requests or other means.
The DOJ argued that while state laws explicitly permit the issuance of confidential licence plates for law enforcement purposes, the four states have selectively denied access to federal immigration agencies, particularly those under the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the states were pursuing "discriminatory and obstructionist policies" against federal law enforcement by granting confidential plates to state agencies while denying them to federal immigration authorities.
The dispute comes amid broader tensions over immigration enforcement policies under the administration of Donald Trump.
Several Democratic-led states have criticised the use of unmarked vehicles and masked federal agents during immigration operations, arguing that such tactics reduce transparency and public accountability.
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey defended her state's policy, saying Massachusetts supports legitimate criminal investigations conducted by local, state and federal agencies. However, she argued that ICE's civil immigration enforcement activities differ from traditional criminal investigations.
Healey said federal agencies such as the FBI, DEA and ATF are eligible to apply for confidential licence plates when they demonstrate a qualifying need, but agencies primarily engaged in civil enforcement activities are not.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson also defended his state's position, stating that courts across the country have found certain DHS immigration enforcement practices to be unconstitutional.
In Oregon, a spokesperson for Governor Tina Kotek said federal agencies already participating in the confidential plate programme could continue using their existing valid plates, while state and local law enforcement operations remained unaffected.
Meanwhile, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows strongly criticised ICE's request for undercover plates, arguing that immigration agents should not be allowed to conduct operations without public accountability.
The legal battle is expected to test the limits of state authority in regulating confidential law enforcement vehicle registrations and could have broader implications for federal immigration enforcement operations across the United States.