(filed May 22, 2025)
U.S. v. City of Newark, City of Jersey City, City of Paterson, City of Hoboken - The Trump Administration sued over four New Jersey city policies that limit local assistance in immigration enforcement (Newark Executive Order MEO 17-001, Newark Police Division General Order 19-01, Jersey City Executive Order 2017-003, Paterson Police Department Standard Operating Procedures, and Hoboken’s Executive Order Declaring Hoboken a Fair and Welcoming City). The cities have requested the federal judge to dismiss the case. On June 24, 2026, the federal court dismissed the government’s complaint without prejudice because the government failed to establish standing, meaning it did not adequately allege an injury that the court could redress. The court gave the government forty-five days to amend its complaint. The federal court focused its decision on standing, not the legality of the sanctuary policies. The state of New Jersey has a statewide Immigrant Trust Directive that limits how local law enforcement may cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Even if the court struck down the cities’ policies, the statewide directive would still prohibit much of the same conduct. Therefore, there could not be a remedy for the government’s alleged injury. The government has not filed an amended complaint.