City & state sue feds over anti-crime $$

The city and state the US Justice Department Wednesday for punishing sanctuary cities by with holding public-safety money in a bid to compel police and other authorities to enforce federal immigration laws. “Local law enforcement has the right to decide how to meet their locallo public-safety needs — and the Trump administration simply does not have the right to require state and local lice to act as federal immigration agents,” state Attorney General Barbara Underwood (left) said.

In 2017, Justice imposed conditions on grants the city and state had relied on for years to fight crime and terrorism and has refused to release the funds.

The feds also threatened to claw back millions in grant money already awarded to the Big Apple, a sanctuary city, and the state, according to the suits.

The state and city have used the money to combat gun violence, improve crime record-keeping, enhance forensic laboratories, support prosecution and defense services and fight the opioid epidemic.

The city’s Manhattan federal suit seeks to have $4 million released and the conditions overturned, while the state is seeking $5 million plus additional damages.

Five other states — Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Virginia and Washington — filed similar suits Wednesday.