Prosecutors challenge Barr’s bid to change immigration rules

FILE - In this July 23, 2019 file photo U.S. Attorney General William Barr addresses the International Conference on Cyber Security at Fordham University in New York. Immigrants who fear persecution because of their family ties will no longer be eligible for asylum under a new rule issued by Barr. Barr on Monday, July 29, announced he was no longer allowing members of a family to be considered a "social group" if their lives are threatened simply because they're related to someone. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

WASHINGTON — The Brooklyn district attorney and more than 40 other state and local prosecutors are challenging Attorney General William Barr’s bid to give himself more authority in deciding whether to deport immigrants with criminal convictions.

Barr wants to change immigration rules that now defer to state and local decisions on criminal cases that may affect whether an immigrant is deported. He wants to ignore whether an immigrant’s criminal conviction has been overturned or modified when deciding deportation cases.

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez says state and local elected prosecutors are in the best position to determine the criminal history of someone under their jurisdiction. He and other prosecutors filed a brief Friday with the Justice Department.

Colleen Long, The Associated Press