A federal court in New Jersey ruled on September 5, 2026, that the lawsuit filed by the Trump administration's Department of Justice against the state's executive order prohibiting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from operating on nonpublic state property would not proceed. The dismissal ends the legal challenge to Governor Mikie Sherrill's directive, which bars federal immigration officers from accessing state-owned facilities that are not open to the public.
Governor Sherrill issued the executive order earlier this year, citing concerns over the presence of ICE agents on state property that is not publicly accessible. The order specifically restricts immigration enforcement activities on locations such as state office buildings, university campuses, and other facilities under state control that are not open to the general public.
In response, the Department of Justice, under the Trump administration, filed a lawsuit arguing that the governor's order interfered with federal immigration enforcement duties. Federal prosecutors represented the DOJ in the case, contending that the state directive exceeded New Jersey's authority and impeded the execution of federal law.
The federal court, after reviewing the arguments, concluded that the lawsuit did not meet the legal standards required to proceed. The court's decision effectively upholds the governor's executive order, allowing New Jersey to continue restricting ICE access to nonpublic state property.
U.S. Representative Seth Moulton, who has followed the case, was noted in the proceedings, though no statements from him were recorded in the court documents. The dismissal marks a significant development in the ongoing tensions between state policies and federal immigration enforcement strategies.
The case reflects broader national debates over the balance of power between state governments and the federal immigration apparatus, with this particular legal challenge now concluded in favor of New Jersey's executive action.