Trump Administration Sues New Jersey Governor Over Order Restricting ICE Enforcement

Last Updated:February 25, 2026, 17:51 IST

The Justice Dept sued New Jersey and Governor Mikie Sherrill over an executive order limiting federal immigration enforcement, citing sanctuary policies and public safety concerns.

The US Justice Department has sued the state of New Jersey and its Democratic Governor, Mikie Sherrill, challenging an executive order she issued limiting enforcement actions by the federal immigration agents in the state.

The executive order, signed on February 11, has barred federal immigration officers from conducting civil immigration arrests in areas of state-owned property that are not open to the public unless the officers have a judicial warrant. It also prohibits federal officers from using state property as a staging area for immigration raids.

The lawsuit by the Justice Department stated: “Not only are New Jersey’s sanctuary policies illegal under federal law, but, as alleged in the complaint, New Jersey’s refusal to cooperate with federal immigration authorities results in the release of dangerous criminals from police custody who would otherwise be subject to removal, including illegal aliens convicted of aggravated assault, burglary, and drug and human trafficking, onto the streets."

According to The New York Times, the suit was the latest filed by the Trump administration against Democrat-led states with laws and policies it argues are hindering its mass deportation campaign.

On Tuesday, Attorney General Pamela Bondi said: “Federal agents are risking their lives to keep New Jersey citizens safe, and yet New Jersey’s leaders are enacting policies designed to obstruct and endanger law enforcement."

“States may not deliberately interfere with our efforts to remove illegal aliens and arrest criminals — New Jersey’s sanctuary policies will not stand," she said.

According to The New York Times, the order does not block immigration officers from entering courthouse hallways or other spaces that are open to the public. But it does restrict their access to nonpublic rooms and exits typically used by court security staff; the lawsuit suggests that these areas were being used by immigration officers in New Jersey.

The order will also likely bar Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from conducting operations in or near MetLife Stadium, where FIFA World Cup soccer games are scheduled to take place.

In June, the Trump administration had filed a similar lawsuit against New York Governor’s two executive orders that largely prohibit ICE officers from conducting arrests at local and state courthouses. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in November, finding that the measures were not unconstitutional.

Similarly, a federal judge in Illinois dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit last year against so-called sanctuary laws in the state.

News world Trump Administration Sues New Jersey Governor Over Order Restricting ICE Enforcement

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