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The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the City of Boston and Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 over its sanctuary city policy on Thursday, claiming that Boston is “among the worst sanctuary offenders in America.”

The lawsuit targets a city policy, the Boston Trust Act, which prohibits police from working with ICE on civil immigration enforcement efforts, including prohibiting police officers from asking immigration status, sharing information with ICE, or “performing the functions of an immigration officer.”

The Boston Police Department and Police Commissioner Michael A. Cox are also named as defendants in the lawsuit which alleges they are withholding information of people in City custody who are subject to federal immigration custody.

The Department of Justice claimed in the lawsuit that the city of Boston reflects an “intentional effort to obstruct the Federal Government’s enforcement of federal immigration law,” the Department of Justice said in the lawsuit.

Wu blasted the lawsuit as the Trump administration pursuing its “authoritarian agenda,” and claimed that Boston is “the safest major city in the country.”

“This unconstitutional attack on our city is not a surprise,” Wu wrote in a statement on Thursday. “This is our City, and we will vigorously defend our laws and the constitutional rights of cities, which have been repeatedly upheld in courts across the country.”

“We will not yield,” she added.

Attorney General Pamela J. Bondi published a list of sanctuary jurisdictions last month, promising to bring litigation and end sanctuary policies. The lawsuit marks the latest of a series of lawsuits against “sanctuary jurisdictions” including Democrat-led cities in New York, New Jersey, and California.

“Boston’s refusal to cooperate with federal immigration authorities results in the release of dangerous criminals from police custody who would otherwise be subject to removal,” the press release accompanying the lawsuit read, “including illegal aliens convicted of aggravated assault, burglary, and drug and human trafficking, onto the streets.”

The lawsuit continues with a condemnation of Wu, saying “her resistance endangers public safety.”

During a Wednesday candidate forum in Needham, with Wu and mayoral opponent Josh Kraft, housing and immigration took center stage.

Wu was questioned on the sanctuary policy, which has defied the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. She touted the policy for making Boston safer and helping Boston’s immigrant communities cooperate with police in a more willing manner.

“We have the safest major city in the country exactly because every member of our community knows that they can trust when they call 911, someone will come to help,” she said. “They don’t have to worry about negative consequences. ”

Wu has repeatedly been scrutinized for the city’s sanctuary policies, notably this past March when she appeared in front of the House Oversight Committee to testify on the city’s sanctuary status. Despite harsh questioning from Republicans, Wu continued to defend the city’s record on crime and immigration.

As Wu’s re-election approaches, and the mayoral primary set for next Tuesday, the lawsuit against the city will add pressure, and more national attention, to the mayor.

—Staff writer Megan L. Blonigen can be reached at megan.blonigen@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X at @MeganBlonigen.

—Staff writer Frances Y. Yong can be reached at frances.yong@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X at @frances_yong_.