Judge Dismisses U.S. Suit Against Four New Jersey Cities, Leaving State Immigration Limits in Place

U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin dismissed the Justice Department's lawsuit against Newark, Hoboken, Jersey City and Paterson on Wednesday. The judge ruled that the federal government lacked standing because New Jersey's Immigrant Trust Directive already imposes the same restrictions on local law enforcement across the state.

Padin, appointed by former President Joe Biden, wrote that the cities' policies do not operate in isolation from the statewide directive first issued in 2018 and later codified into law by Gov. Mikie Sherrill. She added that even if the court struck down the local measures, the same limits would remain in force.

The Justice Department filed the suit in May 2025, arguing that the cities' executive orders and police procedures violated the Supremacy Clause by limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Newark, Hoboken and Jersey City had declared themselves sanctuary or fair and welcoming cities, while Paterson aligned its procedures with the state directive.

Padin noted that every ICE detainer example cited in the complaint involved Essex County Correctional Facility, which is not a defendant and operates under the statewide rule.

The Third Circuit had previously upheld the Immigrant Trust Directive, and an earlier Justice Department suit against the state itself ended without an appeal. The judge dismissed the case without prejudice. The Justice Department declined to comment.