The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont, Attorney General William Tong, the City of New Haven and its mayor Justin Elicker, challenging both the city and state's sanctuary policies.

The department says those policies interfere with the federal government's enforcement of immigration laws.

Officials say the complaint targets the state's Trust Act along with other state and local sanctuary policies. They say the illegal policies have allowed criminals to be released into Connecticut communities.

“For years, Connecticut communities have paid the price of these misguided sanctuary policies,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate, of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.

In a statement, Tong said he disagrees with the complaint:

"The sovereign people of Connecticut have exercised our right to pass state laws like the Trust Act that prioritize public safety and ensure that all people can trust and rely on law enforcement to keep us safe. It is a shame that the President and the Department of Justice are not focused on public safety but are wasting federal resources on attacking Connecticut with a baseless lawsuit that has no foundation in law or fact. Connecticut is not a "sanctuary" state, whatever that means. This term is meaningless and has no basis in Connecticut law. We will defend Connecticut and Connecticut families and fight this lawless attack with every fiber of our being," said Tong.

Gov. Lamont also released the following statement:

“We will defend Connecticut’s laws vigorously against the complaints outlined in the federal government’s lawsuit. Our Trust Act and related policies are consistent with the Constitution and reflect our responsibility to govern responsibly, protect public safety, and uphold the rights of all residents. Connecticut respects the rule of law and the constitutional roles of both federal and state governments. Connecticut law enforcement prioritizes serious criminal activity and works every day to keep our communities safe, while also respecting constitutional protections afforded to residents and maintaining trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Our laws do not prevent federal authorities from enforcing immigration law. Rather, they reflect a longstanding principle: the federal government cannot require states to use their personnel or resources to carry out federal enforcement responsibilities."