New Jersey — The U.S. Department of Justice on Monday filed a lawsuit against the State of New Jersey and Gov. Mikie Sherrill over a newly issued executive order that the department says interferes with federal immigration enforcement.
The complaint challenges New Jersey Executive Order No. 12, which prohibits U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal immigration officials from conducting secure arrests inside nonpublic areas of state-owned property, including state correctional facilities.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the order unlawfully obstructs federal authorities from carrying out immigration operations. “States may not deliberately interfere with our efforts to remove illegal aliens and arrest criminals,” Bondi said in a statement. She added that federal agents are “risking their lives” to enforce immigration laws.
According to the Justice Department, New Jersey’s policy results in the release of individuals from state or local custody who would otherwise be transferred to federal immigration authorities. The department alleges that some of those released include noncitizens convicted of offenses such as aggravated assault, burglary, drug trafficking, and human trafficking.
The lawsuit argues that the executive order violates federal law by restricting federal officers’ access to facilities where individuals subject to immigration enforcement may be detained.
On her first day in office, Bondi directed the department’s Civil Division to identify state and local laws or practices that, in the department’s view, facilitate violations of federal immigration law or impede federal enforcement efforts. The department published a list of what it described as sanctuary jurisdictions on Aug. 5, 2025, prior to the issuance of New Jersey’s executive order.
The Justice Department said the New Jersey lawsuit is part of a broader effort to challenge what it characterizes as unlawful sanctuary policies nationwide. Similar litigation has been filed against state and local governments in New York, Minnesota, and Los Angeles, California.
New Jersey officials had not immediately responded publicly to the lawsuit at the time of the filing.
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