The US Department of Justice brought a lawsuit against four self-proclaimed “sanctuary cities” in New Jersey on Thursday (May 22), accusing their policies of impeding federal immigration enforcement and violating the federal law supremacy principle enshrined in the Constitution. This action reflects the continued hardline stance of the Trump administration on immigration issues.
The cities involved in the case include Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, and Hoboken, all densely populated cities in New Jersey. The federal government, in the lawsuit filed in the Newark federal district court, stated that the policies adopted by these cities effectively hinder the normal operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The Department of Justice stated in the complaint: “While state and local governments may choose not to actively assist federal enforcement, when this passive attitude turns into actual obstruction, it constitutes a violation of federal law.”
According to the lawsuit, the policies of the four cities include prohibiting local police from sharing information on undocumented immigrants in detention with federal immigration officers, restricting cooperation with immigration authorities, and denying entry to federal enforcement officers into local facilities. The federal government believes that these practices violate the Supremacy Clause of the US Constitution, which dictates that federal law takes precedence in conflicts with state laws.
This lawsuit comes amidst the Trump administration’s broad challenges to sanctuary policies. Previously, the Department of Justice also filed similar lawsuits against Chicago, Illinois, Colorado, and some cities, alleging that their policies obstruct federal immigration enforcement authority.
In addition, Acting US Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba recently filed a lawsuit against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka for allegedly illegally trespassing outside a private immigration detention facility. The case was dismissed this week, with Habba only stating that it was done “to move the case forward” without further elaboration on the reasons.
Mayor Baraka’s ally, Congresswoman LaMonica McIver, was charged with obstructing official business and assaulting an officer for attempting to prevent the mayor’s arrest. McIver claims that she became a target of political retaliation for fulfilling her oversight duties. She made her initial court appearance on Wednesday.
The Department of Justice emphasized in the complaint that sanctuary policies pose a “direct challenge” to immigration enforcement and are deemed “not only misguided but also unconstitutional.” The federal government has listed the mayors of the involved cities as defendants, including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, who is also running for governor.
According to 1010 WINS reports, this case is formally known as “US v. Newark, 25-cv-05081” and is being adjudicated in the New Jersey federal district court.