The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against four New Jersey “sanctuary” cities, accusing local officials of perpetrating a “frontal assault on the federal immigration laws and the federal authorities that administer them.”
As the Trump administration looks to crack down on illegal immigration and carry out mass deportations, the DOJ is accusing the cities of Newark, Hoboken, Jersey City and Paterson of impeding its efforts.
The mayors and city councils of each city are named as defendants in the suit.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth said the sanctuary policies are intended to “thwart federal immigration enforcement.”
“Even 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 Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was charged with class C misdemeanor trespassing over an incident at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Newark earlier this month.
Baraka, a gubernatorial candidate, was arrested during a May 9 clash between Democratic lawmakers and law enforcement. While Baraka ultimately had his charges dropped, the DOJ later filed charges against Representative LaMonica McIver in connection with the clash. She was charged with “assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement.”
“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.”
For his part, Baraka argued the lawsuit against his city is “absurd.”
“We are not standing in the way of public safety,” he said. “We are upholding the Constitution, providing oversight, and following the laws and guidelines of the State of New Jersey.”
“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.
“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,” the mayor concluded.
The mayors of Hoboken and Jersey City defended the sanctuary policies of their respective cities, as well.
“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,” Mayor Ravi Bhalla said in a 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,” Mayor Steven Fulop wrote on X. “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.”