NY – New York AG Letitia James Launches Legal Observation Project to Monitor ICE Activity

2026-02-04 - 13:57

New York Attorney General Letitia James has announced the launch of the Legal Observation Project, a new initiative designed to monitor, document, and preserve information related to federal immigration enforcement activities across the state. Unveiled on Tuesday, the project will gather reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions throughout New York and deploy trained legal observers to locations where such activity is reported, as well as to any related protests. The observers will act as neutral witnesses, carefully documenting events on the ground without intervening. According to the Attorney General’s Office (OAG), the initiative comes amid an increase in federal immigration enforcement nationwide. Its goal is to ensure that accurate, real-time information is collected and safeguarded, and that any potential violations of the law are properly identified and addressed. The Legal Observation Project will be staffed by trained OAG employees who are participating on a voluntary basis. When deployed, teams will wear clearly identifiable purple OAG-branded safety vests to distinguish their role as observers. Their responsibilities will include recording details of enforcement actions that may later inform legal review or action, if warranted. In addition to on-the-ground observation, Attorney General James is encouraging members of the public to assist with documentation efforts. New Yorkers are urged to submit videos, photographs, or other records of federal immigration enforcement activity directly to the Attorney General’s Office through a secure online portal. These submissions will become part of the broader record maintained by the project. The Attorney General’s Office emphasized that the initiative is focused on transparency, accountability, and the preservation of factual information during immigration enforcement operations taking place within New York State.