AG ​James today announced the launch of the Legal Observation Project, a new Office of the Attorney General (OAG) initiative to monitor and document federal immigration enforcement activity in New York state and protect New Yorkers’ rights. Through the project, OAG will collect reports of enforcement actions throughout New York and send trained personnel to observe and document that activity where appropriate, as well as any related protests, as they occur. These legal observers will serve as neutral witnesses on the ground, recording information that may inform future legal action. As federal immigration enforcement activity increases nationwide, the Legal Observation Project will help ensure that accurate, real-time information is collected and preserved, and that any violations of law are identified.

“As Attorney General, I am proud to protect New Yorkers’ constitutional rights to speak freely, protest peacefully, and go about their lives without fear of unlawful federal action. We have seen in Minnesota how quickly and tragically federal operations can escalate in the absence of transparency and accountability. My office is launching the Legal Observation Project to examine federal enforcement activity in New York and whether it remains within the bounds of the law.” – AG James