DOJ Sues 4 Cities in New Jersey Over ‘Sanctuary’ Policies

Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, and Hoboken, and their city officials, are named in the lawsuit.

The Trump administration on Thursday launched legal action against four Democrat-led cities in New Jersey over their so-called sanctuary policies.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed the lawsuit in the New Jersey district court against Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, and Hoboken, along with their city officials. The lawsuit seeks a judgment against them and an injunction to stop them from enforcing sanctuary city policies, according to the 24-page complaint.

Yaakov M. Roth, acting assistant attorney general, accused the cities of denying federal immigration agents access to illegal immigrants in local jails, forbidding local police from delivering them to federal immigration agents, and barring local officers from providing necessary information to federal authorities.

Prosecutors in the complaint also cited executive orders and police directives that were put in place by the cities during President Donald Trump’s first term. Those policies, which remain in effect, prohibit cooperation with federal officials and undermine immigration enforcement work, the complaint states.

“They have all adopted policies for the clear object of making it harder for the United States to enforce federal immigration law,” it states. “These efforts to shield illegal aliens within the Garden State are unlawful.”

The lawsuit names Mayors Ravi Bhalla of Hoboken, Ras Baraka of Newark, Andre Sayegh of Paterson, and Steven Fulop of Jersey City as defendants. Four city councils in each jurisdiction are also named in the suit.

Baraka, in a statement on X, called the lawsuit “absurd” and defended his city’s policies.

“We’re not blocking safety, we are upholding the Constitution,” Baraka wrote. “Our policies reduce fear, increase trust, and have helped cut homicides by 61%. That’s not a threat to public safety, that’s what public safety looks like.”

Baraka, also a candidate for New Jersey governor, was taken into custody on May 9 during a melee at the gate of Delaney Hall as three members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation visited the privately run federal immigration detention center for an unannounced inspection. A few days later, however, the misdemeanor charge of trespassing against Baraka was dropped.

Bhalla, the Hoboken mayor, also vowed not to back down. Bhalla said in his own statement that local tax dollars and law enforcement resources will not be “commandeered” by the federal government. Hoboken is a city built by immigrants, and it will continue to be, Bhalla said.

Fulop, the Jersey City mayor, issued a similar response.

“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,” Fulop said in a statement on X.

The DOJ has warned sanctuary cities about impeding federal immigration enforcement and previously filed lawsuits against cities in New York, Colorado, and Illinois.

The lawsuit is the latest effort by the Trump administration to target sanctuary jurisdictions as part of a wider crackdown on illegal immigration. During Trump’s first 100 days, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested more than 65,000 illegal immigrants, including gang members, convicted sex offenders, and murderers.

From NTD News