Attorney General James Fights to Protect Immigrant Communities and Public Safety in Rochester

 

AG James Files Amicus Brief Arguing Sanctuary City Laws Keep New Yorkers Safe, Urges Court to Dismiss DOJ’s Lawsuit

New York Attorney General Letitia James today took action to stand up for vulnerable immigrant communities in Rochester. In an amicus brief filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, Attorney General James emphasized that localities with laws that limit local authorities’ involvement in federal immigration enforcement keep communities safe and allow local law enforcement to use resources to address local public safety priorities, such as fighting crime and reducing gun violence. Attorney General James further argues that Rochester’s longstanding law, often referred to as a “sanctuary city” law, is constitutional because the Constitution grants states and their localities power over the day-to-day public safety of residents within their jurisdiction. In the brief filed today, Attorney General James asks the court to grant judgment in Rochester’s favor in the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit against the city.

“For years, these laws in Rochester and cities throughout New York have kept New Yorkers safe,” said Attorney General James. “The Trump administration’s attacks on immigrant communities are cruel and shameful. Rochester’s law is constitutional, and my office will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect New Yorkers.”

Rochester’s law, like many other sanctuary city laws, limits local or state agencies’ involvement in federal civil immigration enforcement and is intended to build trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement and ensure local resources are spent on local priorities. Rochester first enacted its law in 1986 and later updated it in 2017. It does not limit cooperation between local and federal authorities on criminal matters. In April, DOJ filed a lawsuit against Rochester, arguing that the city’s law is unconstitutional because it is preempted by federal law. In her brief, Attorney General James argues that Rochester’s law does not violate the Constitution, and that the 10th amendment reserves police power to states and their localities.

Attorney General James writes that the law helps keep New Yorkers safe because it encourages individuals in immigrant communities to report crimes, serve as witnesses, and seek critical medical care or social services without fearing deportation. Studies have repeatedly indicated that greater involvement of local law enforcement in immigration enforcement makes immigrant communities less likely to interact with police, and more likely to become victims of crime or other exploitation. Other research has concluded that immigrant community members often refrain from seeking vital local services, including health care services, when they fear that local officials could report them to immigration authorities. Delaying medical care for fear of deportation can cause serious health complications for people who need it.

Attorney General James explains that imposing federal immigration priorities on already strained local officials can detract from local needs. A former Rochester police chief, who held the position at the time of the enactment of the city’s 2017 law, explained that it was intended to avoid diverting scarce resources and time away from the community’s public safety priorities, like reducing gun violence.

Attorney General James is asking the court to grant judgment in Rochester’s favor in the DOJ’s lawsuit and uphold Rochester’s sanctuary city law. 

Dermatology Providers Agree to Pay Nearly $850,000 to Resolve Allegations of False Wound Repair Claims

 

Forefront Dermatology S.C. and Henghold Surgery Center LLC, have agreed to pay $847,394 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly causing the submission of falsely coded claims to Medicare for wound repair procedures.

Forefront owns and operates a dermatology practice in Florida doing business as Henghold Dermatology. Henghold Surgery Center is an ambulatory surgery center that closed in 2023, and is wholly owned by William B. Henghold, M.D. Both the practice and surgery center performed wound repair procedures following Mohs micrographic surgery, a method of skin cancer removal.

The United States alleged that Henghold Dermatology and Henghold Surgery Center caused the submission of false claims to Medicare by using inaccurate wound repair billing codes for which Medicare paid more money than it would have paid for the wound repairs that were actually performed — a practice known as “upcoding.” Specifically, Henghold Dermatology and Henghold Surgery Center falsely coded linear repairs as if they were flap repairs and falsely coded smaller flap repairs as if they were larger flap repairs.

“Improperly billing Medicare depletes valuable government resources that provide necessary medical care to millions of Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold accountable health care providers who enrich themselves by defrauding federal health care programs.”

“This office will continue to aggressively root out fraud, waste, and abuse in our healthcare system by pursuing providers who submit false claims to Medicare,” said U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin for the Northern District of Florida. “We will hold those who attempt to defraud the federal government accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Schemes that cause Medicare to pay for costlier services than were actually performed waste taxpayer funding, threatening the integrity of this federal health care program,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working together with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue to investigate allegations of improper billing schemes to protect taxpayer-funded health care programs and the people served by them.”

The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Christopher Wolfe, M.D., a former Forefront employee. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery.  The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Wolfe v. Henghold et al., No. 3:23-cv-21624 (N.D. Fla.). Dr. Wolfe will receive $152,531 in connection with the settlement.

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, with assistance from HHS-OIG.

The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

The matter was investigated by Trial Attorney Colin Shannon and Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Spaccarotella, Mary Ann Couch, and Marie Moyle for the Northern District of Florida.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO REIMAGINE 14TH STREET CORRIDOR WITH UPGRADES TO PUBLIC SPACES, PEDESTRIAN AND BUS RIDER EXPERIENCE

City Launches Design Study to Develop Vision for Transformational Upgrades 

 

$3 Million Public-Private Investment, $2 Million Commitment From City, $1 Million from Local Business Improvement Districts 

 

Project to Follow Public-Private Model of City’s $400 Million Transformation of Fifth Avenue 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball, and leaders from the Union Square Partnership and Meatpacking District Management Association today announced $3 million in funding to develop a vision plan for 14th Street in Manhattan. Together, DOT, NYCEDC, and the Union Square and Meatpacking District Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) will conduct a study to evaluate transformational upgrades to the pedestrian and transit rider experience along 14th Street in Manhattan, building on the remarkable success of the corridor’s busway.  

The $1.5 million investment in the Fiscal Year (FY) 26 Adopted Budget, which builds on Mayor Adams’ FY 2026 Executive Budget — often called the “Best Budget Ever” — along with $500,000 in funding from the NYCEDC, will help provide a once-in-a-generation upgrade to the entire 14th Street corridor for the 28,000 daily bus riders and thousands more New Yorkers visiting iconic destinations along the street each day. Design features will include, but are not limited to new landscaping, upgraded pedestrian space, greenery, and safety enhancements that all still preserve existing busway operations.  

 

“Our administration continues to invest in transformative generational projects that redesign our public spaces, support our small businesses, boost tourism, make our city safer, and encourage world-class recreation across the five boroughs,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “As part of our ‘Best Budget Ever,’ we were proud to work with the Union Square and Meatpacking District BIDs and the City Council to advance a study of 14th Street that will usher in the future of this iconic corridor. We continue to think big and imagine what is possible on our streets and in our communities in service of our mission to make New York City a safer, more affordable city that is the best place to raise a family.” 

 

“The 14th Street busway has already been transformational for New Yorkers, creating a safer, more welcoming street while dramatically speeding up buses and reducing wait times,” said DOT Commissioner Rodriguez. “This study will help us unlock the full potential of the entire corridor and create a world-class, people-first 14th Street. We look forward to working closely with the New York City Economic Development Corporation and our partner organizations to develop this vision.” 

 

“Union Square Partnership is excited to build on the momentum of our ‘USQNext Vision Plan’ to deliver a modernized Union Square Park and a reimagined 14th Street,” said Julie Stein, executive director, Union Square Partnership. “This is our chance to create a world-class public realm along one of New York’s key thoroughfares — with greener, safer streetscape, 21st century design features, and a best-in-class pedestrian experience. We look forward to working closely with public agency partners and community stakeholders to shape a bold vision for 14th Street and turn it into implementable, lasting improvements.” 

 

The 24-month design study includes a $2 million investment from the city with the Union Square Partnership contributing $750,000 and the Meatpacking District contributing $250,000 for a combined contribution of $1 million towards the effort. DOT will lead the study in close collaboration with the NYCEDC and the BIDs, with the aim of developing a world-class pedestrian experience along 14th Street and modernizing anchor public spaces like Union Square Park. The city will begin seeking a consultant for the study this year, with plans to engage the public in the first quarter of 2026 and have capital projects developed by the end of the study. 

 

The City Council has made a down payment on those capital projects, with Councilmember Carlina securing $9 million in city capital funds across Fiscal Years 2027-2029. Borough President Levine has also allocated $500,000 for the future capital project.  

 

The project builds on the core tenets of the “New” New York action plan, which identified public space and pedestrian improvements as key forces for the city's economic recovery. It also reflects other public-private partnerships to reimagine iconic corridors, which will provide the model for the 14th Street vision plan. In 2023, the Adams administration launched the Future of Fifth public-private partnership, which brings city agencies together with the Fifth Avenue Association, the Grand Central Partnership, the Central Park Conservancy, and the Bryant Park Corporation to further this project. As part of Mayor Adams’ Best Budget Ever, he announced total investments of over $400 million to fully fund the city and the Future of Fifth Partnership's plan to transform Fifth Avenue — between Bryant Park and Central Park — into a world-class, pedestrian-centered boulevard, cementing the iconic corridor's status as a catalyst for economic growth and job creation in New York City. Last year, the Adams administration cut the ribbon on the latest phase of Broadway Vision, the city’s plan to dramatically expand pedestrian and cycling space along Broadway, from Union Square to Columbus Circle. 

 

The Adams administration has pedestrianized a record amount of public space, adding more than 1.4 million square feet of pedestrian space over the last three years. This is part of the Adams administration’s broader efforts to create safe, welcoming streets through the expansion of the city’s Open Streets program and a newly established permanent outdoor dining program, ‘Dining Out NYC’.  

 

Today’s announcement is a reflection of Mayor Adams’ commitment to improving quality of life and public safety through improving public spaces, with a focus on better design, operations and maintenance, and enforcement. Recently, the administration announced the Department of Sustainable Delivery (DSD), a new entity housed within the DOT. DSD will conduct enforcement against illegal moped-, e-bike-, and e-scooter-riding; hold delivery apps accountable by ensuring that commercial cyclists are using safe and legal equipment and that delivery companies face repercussions for unsafe behavior; and address vehicle parking behaviors that endanger pedestrians, cyclists, and e-bike riders. As part of Mayor Adams’ Fiscal Year 2026 Adopted Budget, new funding will support DOT hiring up to 45 new peace officers trained to issue moving violations and enforce commercial cycling laws against businesses. This department will bring order to New York City streets as the number of app-based deliveries and delivery workers have soared, with little accountability in place for app-based companies. 

 

In addition to DSD, the administration is advancing measures to combat reckless driving, including a dramatic expansion of automated enforcement against speeding drivers and red-light runners; as well as rules to prohibit e-bikes and e-scooters from travelling faster than 15 miles-per-hour on city streets, mirroring best regulatory practices for e-bike speeds in countries that are at the forefront of sustainable transportation, such as the Netherlands and Belgium, and matching the existing speed limit in New York City for stand-up e-scooters to ensure speed limits are applied consistently across e-mobility devices. 

 

Today’s announcement builds on the Adams administration’s continued work to improve e-bike access and foster the growing use of legal e-micromobility options through the “Charge Safe, Ride Safe” action plan, while also shifting deliveries to more sustainable modes of transportation. DOT has built a record number of protected bike-lane miles over the past three years and also installed wider bike lanes along its busiest routes, expanded public e-bike charging options for riders, and educated the public and delivery workers about safe and legal e-bike use. This past spring, the city launched an e-bike trade-in program for delivery workers to exchange illegal mopeds and uncertified e-bikes for legal, fire-safe e-bikes and batteries. The city also established “microhubs” to shift deliveries from large, congestion-causing trucks to more sustainable modes, such as cargo e-bikes and smaller electric vehicles. 

Permits Filed for 112 East 167th Street in Concourse, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a 13-story residential building at 112 East 167th Street in Concourse, The Bronx. Located between Walton Avenue and Grand Concourse, the lot is one block from the 167th Street subway station, served by the B and D trains. Paul Durgaj of Durgaj Properties Corp. is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 120-foot-tall development will yield 65,735 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 96 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 684 square feet. The masonry-based structure will also have a cellar and penthouse.

Joseph Sultana of JLS Designs is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits will likely not be needed as the lot is now vacant. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: Local Sales Tax Collections Total $11.9 Billion in First Half of 2025, Up 3.7% Over Prior Year

 

Local government sales tax collections totaled $11.9 billion in the first half of 2025, an increase of 3.7% ($423 million) compared to the same period last year, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Year-over-year growth in collections during the first half of 2025 almost doubled that for the same period last year (1.9%) and was nearly the same as the average growth rate for the January to June period from 2010 to 2019 during the recovery and expansion following the Great Recession.

“While New York’s local sales tax collections experienced stronger growth in the first half of 2025, future revenues may become less predictable as local communities weather federal policy changes, inflation and other economic factors,” said DiNapoli. “Local officials should continue to take advantage of all the financial tools and guidance my office has to offer to help them strengthen their finances and resiliency amid these uncertain times.”

Findings from DiNapoli’s report on sales tax collections in the first half of 2025 include:

• Each of the state’s 10 economic development regions, including New York City, experienced a year-over-year increase in first-half collections.
• New York City’s sales tax collections totaled nearly $5.4 billion in the first half of 2025, an increase of 4.7% ($242 million), year over year, while aggregate collections for the counties and cities in the rest of the state grew by 2.8% ($156 million).
• Outside of New York City, regional growth ranged from a low of 1.3% (Mohawk Valley) to a high of 4.6% (Southern Tier).
• Nearly 86% of counties experienced a year-over-year increase in first-half collections.
• Hamilton County saw the highest growth in the first half at 14.6%, followed by the counties of Delaware (12.9%), Orleans (12.1%) and Chenango (11.7%). Several other counties experienced strong growth, including Oswego (9.1%), Schenectady (8.4%) and both Franklin and Madison (8%).
• Among the eight counties that had decreases in first-half collections, St. Lawrence saw the steepest decline at -5.7%, followed by Livingston (-5.1%) and both Sullivan and Schoharie (-2.9%).
• Nearly 75% of cities outside of New York City that impose their own sales tax experienced growth in the first half. Norwich had the largest increase at 19.3%, followed by Salamanca (15.4%). Conversely, the cities of Ogdensburg, Johnstown, Glens Falls, Mount Vernon and Utica each saw decreases in collections, ranging from -0.6% to -4%.

Report

Local Sales Tax Collections in the First Half of 2025

Data

Regional Table with Detailed Sales Tax Collections by County and City

Interactive Map

Local Sales Tax Sharing in New York State