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By Dan Gooding
Associate News Editor
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New Jersey's Democratic governor reacted to a new lawsuit from the Trump administration on Tuesday, saying the federal government was wasting taxpayer money.
Governor Mikie Sherill's post on X came as the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit over her executive order targeting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
"The Trump administration would be better served training its ICE agents to follow the law than wasting taxpayer dollars suing New Jersey for taking measures to strengthen public safety," she posted.
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The executive order at the center of the complaint prohibits ICE from conducting arrests inside non-public areas of state property, including state prisons.
Why It Matters
The Trump administration's lawsuit is the latest in a string of complaints aimed at so-called sanctuary city, county, and state policies that prohibit local law enforcement and other agencies from conducting federal immigration enforcement. The majority of these policies are in place in Democrat-led jurisdictions, with President Donald Trump and his Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, claiming these get in the way of enforcing immigration laws. In contrast, hundreds of agreements have been made between DHS and local police and sheriff's departments across the country to increase cooperation on the matter.
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What To Know
In Executive Order 12, Sherrill said that the State of New Jersey was committed to protecting all residents from threats to their safety, regardless of immigration status, referring to the state's history as a gateway to the U.S. through Ellis Island in the early 20th century.
The order goes on to repeat the Supreme Court's longstanding decision that it is the federal government's job to enforce immigration laws, and that the Constitution prevents it from "coercing or commandeering" states into helping. That argument was used to instate a ban on federal immigration enforcement being carried out in state-owned buildings.
The DOJ filed a lawsuit Monday in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey, aimed at the order, with which the government alleges the governor "aims to intentionally obstruct federal law enforcement," adding that she "celebrates thwarting the constitutional obligation of the President of the United States to take care that federal immigration law be faithfully executed."
The complaint, in which the governor's name is misspelled five times, alleges that the New Jersey executive order "intentionally discriminates against the federal government" and claims that the order is invalid under the Supremacy Clause.
What People Are Saying
Attorney General Pam Bondi, in a press release: “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.”
ACLU-NJ Executive Director Amol Sinha, in a press release: “New Jersey has taken significant steps to protect its communities from dangerous policies set by the Trump administration. Gov. Sherrill’s executive order limiting the use of state property for federal immigration enforcement is a legally sound policy that exercises New Jersey’s right to control its own resources and that prioritizes the safety and wellbeing of its residents.
"The Trump administration has weaponized the Department of Justice to target policies safeguarding fundamental rights hoping it will scare other states from taking similar action. But New Jersey has repeatedly shown it will not be intimidated by a federal administration intent on abusing its power – this time is no different.”
What Happens Next
The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner, an appointee of former President Joe Biden. A hearing date was not immediately available.
Update 2/24/26 4:03 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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