'Absurd': NJ Mayors Speak On Federal Suit Against 'Sanctuary Cities'

NEWARK, NY — New Jersey mayors are speaking out after a lawsuit was filed this week by the federal government against four New Jersey cities, whose "sanctuary city" policies prohibit police from cooperating with the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts, the U.S. Department of Justice suit accuses.

The lawsuit, reported first by Bloomberg, was filed in federal court late on Thursday.

"The United States is currently facing a crisis of illegal immigration, and the federal government is set to put a stop to it," the lawsuit states, according to the New Jersey Monitor. "While states and local governments are free to stand aside as the United States performs this important work, they cannot stand in the way. And where inaction crosses into obstruction, local governments break federal law. That is what is happening across New Jersey right now. It is past time it ends."

According to the story, the government filed in Newark claiming that four of New Jersey's "sanctuary cities" — Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, and Hoboken — were blocking the government's enforcement plans regarding immigrants.

READ MORE: Trump Targets Sanctuary Cities, Immigrants Fight Back

Federal courts have also blocked certain actions by the Trump administration to detain and deport immigrants, Reuters reported this week, saying the administration had violated a court order in one case.

The administration moved to end some programs allowing immigrants to remain in the country and hopes to remove some protections, the Guardian reported this week.

According to the Associated Press, the lawsuit seeks a judgment against the cities and an injunction to halt them from enacting the so-called sanctuary city policies.

Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka released a statement on the Department of Justice lawsuit: "The lawsuit against Newark is absurd," he said. "We are not standing in the way of public safety. We are upholding the Constitution, providing oversight, and following the laws and guidelines of the State of New Jersey. Nothing in our policies prevents law enforcement from doing their jobs. What we refuse to do is turn our city into an arm of federal immigration enforcement, which the courts have already ruled is not our role."

He added: "The comments about safety are not only offensive, they are lies meant to create political scapegoats. Immigrants are far more likely to be victims of crimes than perpetrators, and there is no evidence whatsoever that sanctuary policies make communities less safe. In fact, the opposite is true – we have reduced homicides by 61 percent since I became Mayor. So our policies aren’t just legal, they’re working."

And, Baraka said: "When people are not living in fear, they are more likely to report crimes, access healthcare, and engage with the institutions meant to protect them. That makes all of us safer. We will continue to do what we have always done, protect the rights of all our residents, stand on constitutional ground, and reject fear-based politics that divide communities rather than strengthen them."

Earlier in May, Baraka was arrested at a protest outside a new detention facility in Newark. He has since been released from custody, reports say.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced plans to reopen Delaney Hall earlier this year. The 1,000-bed facility is the first federal detention center to open under President Donald Trump’s second term. It is run by the GEO Group, one of the largest private prison companies in the world. The move allows ICE to expand its detention and deportation capacity in the Northeast region of the country.

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, who announced that he is running for governor of New Jersey, also spoke out on X: "Jersey City gets sued for being a sanctuary city — I guess MAGA ran out of conspiracy theories for the week. Here is the truth: Jersey City’s policies protect families, reflect our values, and have led to record low crime rates. As governor, I won’t be bullied. We’ll fight this — and win."

Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla — who had previously said that local law enforcement won't participate in searches for immigrants without a warrant — pledged Friday to fight back against the lawsuit filed by the federal government.

Bhalla gave a statement late Friday saying, "Our city’s tax dollars, police, and other city personnel will not be commandeered by the federal government to enforce federal immigration orders — especially those that violate the constitutional rights of our residents and non-resident visitors. It also means that in Hoboken, the law shall be applied equally regardless of immigration status. This is the American way.

"The Trump administration’s treatment of immigrants, lawful residents, and countless citizens is truly disgraceful and, often, unconstitutional. Families have been senselessly torn apart, and legal residents who have not been proven to have committed any crimes have been deported to jails overseas without due process."

He added, "Hoboken is a city that has been, and continues to be, built by immigrants. These immigrants are our neighbors, parents of our children’s classmates, employees of our schools, and local businesses owners. Our city's resources will not be used to harass or detain these valued community members who we see every day in our schools, public buildings, places of worship, and who contribute constructively to our city and obey our laws."

He said the city will fight in court.

"To be clear," he said, "we will not back down."

Rep. Rob Menendez released a statement later, saying, "Two weeks ago today in Newark, we saw a blatant act of intimidation by the Trump Administration meant to silence me and my colleagues. And we resisted. Now, the Trump Administration is attempting yet again to intimidate elected leaders and undermine the values that define our great state. But we will not bend to the Trump Administration - not today, not tomorrow, not ever."

PRIOR REPORTING: Trump Targets Sanctuary Cities, Immigrants Fight Back