DOJ Sues New Jersey Over ICE Access Order

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Monday in federal court in Trenton, New Jersey, challenging a recent executive order by Governor Mikie Sherrill that restricts federal immigration agents from operating in certain areas of state-owned property. The action targets Executive Order No. 12, signed by Sherrill on February 11, which prohibits Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from entering nonpublic portions of state facilities without a judicial warrant and bars the use of such properties for staging or processing immigration enforcement activities.

The order applies to locations including government offices, correctional facilities, courthouses, childcare centers, residential medical facilities, and state university residence halls. According to the lawsuit, the policy interferes with federal immigration enforcement by discriminating against federal agents and violating the Constitution's Supremacy Clause, which establishes federal law as the highest authority. The filing accuses the state of obstructing efforts to enforce immigration laws and of providing shelter to individuals accused of crimes, thereby hindering President Donald Trump's broader...