A federal judge has dismissed the Trump administration's lawsuit against four New Jersey cities over their sanctuary policies, handing the Department of Justice another setback in its effort to challenge local limits on cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin on Wednesday dismissed the lawsuit against Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, and Hoboken, ruling that the Justice Department lacked standing to sue because the municipalities' policies mirror New Jersey's statewide Immigrant Trust Directive. As a result, striking down the cities' ordinances would not remedy the federal government's complaints since local police would still be bound by state rules.
The Justice Department filed the lawsuit in May 2025, arguing that the four Democratic-led cities violated the U.S. Constitution by restricting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
Federal attorneys contended the policies deny immigration agents access to immigrants held in local custody, limit the transfer of detainees to federal authorities, and prevent local officers from voluntarily sharing information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Judge Padin disagreed, finding that the federal government's challenge could not succeed because the cities are already subject to New Jersey's broader Immigrant Trust Directive, which has previously been upheld in court.
The ruling marks the latest legal defeat for President Donald Trump's administration as it seeks to dismantle so-called sanctuary policies nationwide through litigation.
Local leaders quickly celebrated the decision.
"We are pleased that the court dismissed this misguided lawsuit," Jersey City Mayor James Solomon said in a statement. "Jersey City will continue to protect the safety and constitutional rights of all of our residents while complying with the law."
Paterson's attorney, Aymen Aboushi, also welcomed the ruling, saying, "The court correctly recognized that this lawsuit was legally flawed. Paterson remains committed to serving all residents and following New Jersey law."
New Jersey's Immigrant Trust Directive, first issued in 2018, generally bars local police from assisting federal immigration enforcement in civil immigration matters. Supporters argue the policy encourages immigrants to report crimes and cooperate with investigations without fear that contact with local police could lead to deportation.
The Trump administration has maintained that such policies undermine immigration enforcement and jeopardize public safety by making it more difficult for ICE officers to identify and detain people who are in the country illegally.
The case is part of a broader legal campaign by the administration against sanctuary jurisdictions. Similar lawsuits have targeted Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City and other Democratic-led municipalities that have adopted policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The Justice Department can appeal Judge Padin's ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. For now, however, the decision leaves the sanctuary policies in Newark, Jersey City, Paterson and Hoboken intact while reinforcing New Jersey's existing statewide protections limiting local involvement in federal immigration enforcement
