DOJ Sues Four States Over Confidential Plates For ICE

The Justice Department filed lawsuits on Thursday against Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon and Washington for refusing to issue confidential license plates to federal immigration agents, the department said.

DOJ said the states denied plates to DHS components including ICE while issuing them to state agencies and argued the policies violate the Supremacy Clause, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said the state will not help ICE operate in secret, Oregon's DMV said it paused issuing plates pending legal review, and Maine's attorney general defended the policy, officials said.

DOJ cited DHS data saying ICE agents received 8,000% more death threats than in the last year of the Biden administration, and that assaults and vehicular attacks rose 1,300% and 3,200% in 2025.

The department filed individual suits in U.S. district courts and said it had earlier sent letters from assistant U.S. attorney general Brett Shumate warning it would sue if states did not change their policies.