Federal Judge Sides With New Jersey, Dismissing Trump-Era Lawsuit Over ICE Restrictions

A federal court in Newark has tossed out a lawsuit brought by the Trump-era Department of Justice, upholding New Jersey’s right to keep federal immigration agents out of nonpublic state properties. The ruling, delivered late Friday afternoon, marks the end of a tense legal standoff that put the state’s executive authority—and the limits of federal reach—squarely in the spotlight.

The case stems from an executive order issued by Governor Mikie Sherrill, which barred Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from entering public schools, hospitals, and other nonpublic government facilities without a judicial warrant. The DOJ had argued that the order hampered federal immigration enforcement, but Judge Valerie Caproni ruled that New Jersey’s directive falls within the state’s constitutional powers.

The decision reverberated across the Hudson on Saturday morning, with local advocacy groups gathering outside the Peter Rodino Federal Building to celebrate what they called “a victory for state autonomy and immigrant communities.” Meanwhile, city officials at City Hall noted that New York’s own sanctuary policies remain under scrutiny, even as neighboring New Jersey scores a legal win.

The ruling comes as politicians sharpen their talking points for the autumn election cycle. US Representative Seth Moulton, appearing with Governor Sherrill at a Newark roundtable on veterans’ issues on August 19, highlighted the ruling as evidence that “states can and should set humane policies for their own residents.”

For New Yorkers, the legal tussle has real consequences. City attorneys, who have spent recent years defending similar sanctuary measures, say the court’s decision strengthens the hand of local governments seeking to limit federal law enforcement on their turf. With the ruling in place, the city’s immigrant residents—and the agencies that serve them—say they feel a measure of relief heading into the fall.