Trump administration sues four New Jersey cities over sanctuary policies
The Trump administration is suing four New Jersey cities, accusing local officials of obstructing federal law and infringing on efforts to combat illegal immigration through their sanctuary city policies.
The lawsuit by the Justice Department alleged the cities of Newark, Hoboken, Jersey City and Paterson unlawfully obstructed federal authorities trying to fight illegal immigration.
Mayors Ras Baraka of Newark, Ravi Bhalla of Hoboken, Steven Fulop of Jersey City and Andre Sayegh of Paterson are named as defendants, along with the four city councils.
"By intent and design, the Challenged Policies are a frontal assault on the federal immigration laws and the federal authorities that administer them," the complaint states.
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Baraka was recently arrested and charged with trespassing outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in his city. That case was dropped, but U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver was later charged with assault during the protest at Delaney Hall.
"The lawsuit against Newark is absurd," Barake said in a statement. "We are not standing in the way of public safety. We are upholding the Constitution, providing oversight, and following the laws and guidelines of the State of New Jersey."
He said nothing in the city's policies prevents law enforcement from doing their jobs. "What we refuse to do is turn our city into an arm of federal immigration enforcement, which the courts have already ruled is not our role," he added.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth wrote that local policies are designed to "thwart federal immigration enforcement".
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"[E]ven where local law enforcement wants to help the United States deal with the nation’s immigration crisis, the Challenged Policies impede them from doing so," he wrote. "This not only puts the safety of officers at risk, but also endangers the broader communities they are sworn to protect."
The lawsuit comes after federal charges were filed against Baraka, a gubernatorial candidate, for his role during a May 9 clash involving Democratic politicians at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Newark.
"Recent events have proven that these New Jersey officials care more about political showmanship than the safety of their communities," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "As I have made clear, this Justice Department does not tolerate local officials in sanctuary cities obstructing immigration enforcement: there is more litigation to come."
"We will continue to do what we have always done, protect the rights of all our residents, stand on constitutional ground, and reject fear-based politics that divide communities rather than strengthen them," Baraka said.
"Hoboken is a community that prides itself on its vibrancy, its cultural diversity, and its inclusivity, and we will continue to stand together as a community for what is fair and just," Bhalla said in a separate statement. "The City of Hoboken will vigorously work to defend our rights, have our day in court, and defeat the Trump Administration’s lawlessness. To be clear: we will not back down."
"Jersey City gets sued for being a sanctuary city — I guess MAGA ran out of conspiracy theories for the week," Fulop wrote on X in response to the lawsuit. "Here is the truth: Jersey City’s policies protect families, reflect our values and have led to record low crime rates. As governor, I won’t be bullied. We’ll fight this — and win."
Fox News Digital has reached out to Sayegh's office.
The Trump administration has targeted sanctuary jurisdictions as it continues to catch and deport criminal illegal immigrants.
It has filed lawsuits against cities in New York, Colorado and Illinois over attempts to impede immigration enforcement.