Judge orders NYC to hand over shelter resident data to ICE

A federal judge has ordered the City of New York to provide the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency with specific identifying information for residents of a homeless shelter in the Bronx. The ruling mandates the release of names and dates of birth for individuals currently staying in the facility.

U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan issued a 12-page decision upholding an administrative subpoena issued by federal officials. The order requires the city to comply with the request within two weeks. Kaplan stated that the city failed to demonstrate that providing the list would impose an excessive burden on municipal operations.

Federal agents limited their request to residents who possess certain serious criminal backgrounds. They agreed to designate a special master, a court-appointed expert, to collect and release only the relevant names. This procedural step is intended to streamline the process and protect the privacy of other residents.

The conflict began in August 2025 when ICE first requested full names and birth dates for all residents of two municipal shelters. The city initially rejected the request, labeling it an improper search lacking a legitimate investigative purpose. Federal authorities later narrowed the scope of the subpoena, but the city continued to object to the process.

City officials argued that the request forced the municipal government to conduct a costly and time-consuming investigation on behalf of a federal agency. They contended that the subpoena was more political than investigative and aimed to bypass local sanctuary laws. These laws, enacted in 2014 under former Mayor Bill de Blasio, restrict cooperation between local agencies and federal immigration authorities.

Judge Kaplan rejected the city's arguments in his written decision. He noted that the city's speculation about the agency's motives lacked sufficient evidence in the case record. The judge wrote that while the city and the federal government disagree on migration policy, nothing in the record suggested ICE intended to identify migrants for reasons other than enforcing federal immigration laws.

The judge concluded that the subpoena concerned a substantial matter relevant to the application of federal immigration laws. He emphasized that the agency's agreement to use a special master supported the legitimacy of the request. The court found the records pertinent to the agency's legitimate investigation.

The decision comes amid ongoing legal disputes over New York City's status as a sanctuary city. In October, a federal judge in Brooklyn dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration that sought to end the city's sanctuary protections for undocumented immigrants. That case, filed in July 2025, sought a permanent order to remove local laws that limit the use of municipal resources for immigration enforcement.