Biden-Appointed Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Against New Jersey Cities Over Immigration Policies

A Biden-appointed federal judge has dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit targeting four New Jersey cities — Newark, Jersey City, Hoboken, and Paterson — over their immigration cooperation policies.

U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin ruled that the federal government lacked standing to bring the case. The ruling prevents the lawsuit from proceeding on procedural grounds and does not address underlying constitutional questions.

The Justice Department argued the cities’ policies were preempted by federal immigration law and unlawfully interfered with federal enforcement efforts. At issue were local restrictions on cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including limits on honoring immigration detainers without a judicial warrant.

The court found the federal government failed to meet the legal threshold required for jurisdiction. Padin stated the complaint could not move forward because the challenged policies were tied to New Jersey’s statewide Immigrant Trust Directive — rules governing how local law enforcement interacts with federal immigration authorities.

She further noted that the federal lawsuit improperly isolated city policies from the broader state legal framework. The ruling preserves New Jersey’s existing immigration cooperation structure and does not determine whether sanctuary-style policies are constitutional.

New Jersey is among several Democratic-led states where similar immigration enforcement policies have faced federal legal challenges. Officials in the defendant cities stated the decision supports their approach to balancing public safety with maintaining trust in immigrant communities.