Feds push back on Shrerrill's ICE order
Suit alleges obstruction of U.S. law enforcement
By: Katie Sobko
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
..... Governor Mikie Sherrill signed an executive order earlier this month [02/2026] banning Immigration and Customs enforcement from staging raids on New Jersey state property.
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On February 23, [2026] the federal government pushed back. in a lawsuit filed in federal court against New Jersey and the Sherrill administration, the U.S. Department of Justice alleges that :Sherill aims to intentionally obstruct federal law enforcement and celebrates thwarting the constitutional obligation" by not allowing immigration enforcement agents to enter nonpublic property for raids to be coordinated from state property.
..... "Federal agents are risking their lives to keep New Jersey citizens safe, and yet New Jersey's leaders are enacting policies designed to obstruct and endanger law enforcement," Attorney Gen real Pam Bondi said in a statement. "States may not deliberately interfere with our efforts to remove illegal aliens and arrest criminals p New Jersey's sanctuary policies will not stand."
..... The Justice Department suit alleges that Sherrill's executive order "obstructs federal law enforcement and facilitates the evasion of federal law by dangerous criminals, notwithstanding federal immigration agents' statutory mandate to detain and remove illegal aliens."
..... Sherrill was asked about the lawsuit at an unrelated press conference on February 23 [2026] and didn't hold back.
..... "I think what the federal government needs to be focused on right now, instead of attacking states like New Jersey working to keep people safe, is actually training their ICE agents, with some modicum of training, like any law enforcement officer in the state of New Jersey would have, so that they can operate better and more safely," the governor said.
..... Acting Attorney General Jennifer Davenport had a similar stance. in a statement, she said, "Instead of working with us to promote pubic safety and protect our state's residents, the Trump administration is wasting its resources on a pointless legal challenge to Governor Sherrill's executive order."
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She said the state will 'continue to ensure the safety of our state's immigrant communities."
..... The federal lawsuit misspells Sherrill's name multiple times.
..... when announcing the executive order, Sherrill stressed that ICE officers can still make lawful arrest on public and state property - but can't gather to launch operation on that property.
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ICE has a presence in the state as it is. There are two privately owned facilities that house people detained by federal immigration authorities, one in Elisabeth and another at Delaney Hall in Newark, which has made headlines of its own.
..... The Department of Homeland Security brought a warehouse last week [02/20/2026] in Roxbury. The nearly half-million-square-foot facility will be an immigration processing center. the Roxbury Township Council - all of whose members are Republicans - is opposed to the facility.