IN THE NEWS TODAY
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS
Today’s developments span New York’s limits on local participation in federal immigration enforcement, access to immigration-detention court records, international students and higher education, immigrant participation in the trucking workforce, and implementation of the new federal public-charge rule.
NEW YORK
NY sheriffs escalate their challenge of ban on ICE contracts
Fifteen New York county sheriffs are asking a federal court to suspend portions of the state’s Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, continuing a significant legal dispute over how far New York may go in restricting formal 287(g) agreements and the use of local law-enforcement personnel for federal civil immigration enforcement.
The sheriffs argue that the law interferes with federal immigration policy and existing cooperation arrangements, while New York officials maintain that the state may determine how state and local law-enforcement resources are used. A federal judge has previously distinguished prohibited civil immigration-enforcement activity from cooperation connected to criminal matters, making the scope of that distinction central to the continuing litigation.
Transcript: Mayor Mamdani New York City Leads Cities And Counties In Lawsuit Challenging Federal Government’s New Public Charge Rule
New York City officials provided additional information on their federal lawsuit challenging the new public-charge rule ahead of its scheduled September 18 implementation, emphasizing that underlying eligibility for city programs has not itself changed and urging immigrant families to obtain reliable legal advice before discontinuing benefits or services.
FEDERAL POLICY & COURTS
Associated Press Challenges Restrictions on Online Access to Immigration Detention Cases
The Associated Press filed suit against the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts challenging Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2(c), which generally prevents members of the public from remotely viewing many filings in federal immigration cases—including habeas petitions challenging detention—even though the records can be reviewed at the courthouse.
The case is The Associated Press v. Administrative Office of the United States Courts, No. 1:26-cv-03219, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. AP argues that the restriction impairs timely reporting and treats immigration-related cases differently from most other federal civil litigation.
Judge Blocks Controversial International Student Restrictions
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction preventing DHS from replacing the nearly 50-year-old “duration of status” framework with fixed admission periods for international students and exchange visitors, keeping existing rules in place nationwide while the lawsuit proceeds.
Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV concluded at this stage of the case that DHS had not adequately addressed public comments or demonstrated a rational connection between significant portions of the rule and its stated national-security justification. The injunction does not permanently invalidate the regulation; litigation continues.
Trump administration’s crackdown on immigrant truckers rolls into appeals court
A D.C. Circuit panel heard arguments over a federal rule restricting access to non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses, including licenses used by many lawfully present immigrant truck drivers, with judges questioning the government’s justification for the restrictions and challengers arguing that immigration status is being used as a proxy for driving safety.
The case has direct immigrant-integration significance because commercial driving is an important employment pathway for foreign-born workers, while licensing restrictions can determine whether legally authorized immigrants can continue working in the industry. The Transportation Department maintains that the rule is intended to address safety and state verification problems; challengers dispute whether the record supports those restrictions.
OTHER SIGNIFICANT NATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS
Construction of ICE facility near Gilroy blocked after judge issues preliminary injunction
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction stopping further construction of a proposed ICE holding facility near Gilroy, California, while litigation continues over whether federal agencies complied with required environmental review before proceeding with the project.
The underlying federal order states that California and Santa Clara County demonstrated likely irreparable environmental harm and directs federal officials and the developer to pause construction, demolition and development activities—with limited exceptions—while allowing environmental assessment work to proceed.
The case warrants attention outside California because it tests whether the federal government’s expansion of immigration-detention infrastructure remains subject to ordinary environmental-review requirements.
IMMIGRANT INTEGRATION FACT OF THE DAY
Asian-born New Yorkers accounted for 45.9% of Western New York’s foreign-born population in 2021.
IIIRP’s Data Gateway reports 37,439 Asian-born residents in Western New York, representing 45.9% of the region’s foreign-born population—a reminder that Asian immigrant communities are an important component of immigration well beyond New York City.
Source: IIIRP Data Gateway | U.S. Census American Community Survey, 2021, 1-year Selected Population Profiles