By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• The U.S. Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit against the State of New Jersey and Gov. Mikie Sherrill over an executive order restricting federal immigration arrests.
• The complaint challenges Executive Order No. 12, signed Feb. 11, barring federal immigration agents from making arrests in nonpublic areas of state property without judicial authorization.
• DOJ alleges the order violates the Constitution’s supremacy clause by interfering with federal enforcement of immigration laws.
• New Jersey officials, including the acting attorney general, said the state will defend the executive order and prioritize community safety.
• The lawsuit is part of a broader federal push against state and local restrictions on immigration enforcement.
TRENTON, N.J. — The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Monday against the State of New Jersey and Gov. Mikie Sherrill in federal court, challenging a state executive order that limits federal immigration enforcement actions on certain state properties.
Seth Wenig/AP
The complaint contends that Executive Order No. 12, issued Feb. 11, unlawfully prohibits U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal immigration officials from conducting civil immigration arrests in nonpublic areas of state-owned buildings, including correctional facilities, without a judicial warrant.
The Department of Justice argues the order conflicts with federal authority and violates the Constitution’s supremacy clause by impeding enforcement of federal immigration laws.
Gov. Sherrill and Acting New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport have said state officials will defend the order, asserting it protects residents and ensures state resources are not used for federal civil immigration enforcement without appropriate oversight.
Federal authorities described the lawsuit as part of an ongoing effort to challenge state and local policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, with similar cases filed in other states and jurisdictions.