Trump Targets NJ Sanctuary Cities — Again

NEW JERSEY — Lawyers for President Donald Trump have asked a federal judge to greenlight their challenge to sanctuary city actions in four Garden State cities, according to the New Jersey Monitor.

The Trump administration says the guidelines in these areas are preempted by federal law.

Earlier this year, Hoboken, Newark, Jersey City, Paterson and their Democratic mayors were named in a lawsuit filed by the federal government alleging they are acting against law by aiding immigrants seeking asylum.

This is the latest effort in the White House's move to force local and state authorities to aid their tactics, such as deploying Immigrations Customs and Enforcement (ICE) agents, to gather illegal immigrants scattered throughout the United States.

On Nov. 4, a federal judge denied the White House's request to pause a challenge against sanctuary policies in the cities, siding against arguments that the federal shutdown stops the U.S. Department of Justice from working on the case.

In sanctuary cities nationwide, municipalities have enacted policies that limit voluntary assistance and information sharing by local and state authorities.

Attorneys for the Hoboken, Newark, Jersey City, and Paterson have pointed to references like a 2021 decision made by the federal appeals court that upheld New Jersey's Immigrant Trust Directive as to why their client municipalities have the right to remain under their own guidance.

The Immigrant Trust Directive is a statewide policy that restricts voluntary cooperation with federal immigration agents.

The cities and their attorneys have asked the court to throw away the Trump administration's lawsuit due to a lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Lawyers said the federal government could not produce evidence of harm done by the cities' choices to abide by their own policies.

Cooperation with ICE detainers is also voluntary, and the White House can't require state or local governments to enforce them under current federal law.

Some cities like Newarl, however, allow the city to accede to detainers accompanied by a judge-issued warrant.

The Trump White House remains steadfast that local rules that require cooperation with judicial warrants but not administrative warrants produced by ICE disrupt the agency's power and improperly regulates the United States government.

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