Governor Mikie Sherrill signed three bills in late March aimed at limiting cooperation between New Jersey law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Trump administration has been fighting back ever since.
In a statement following the action, Sherrill framed the move as a fight for the Constitutional rights of New Jerseyans—suggesting ICE activity has threatened the freedoms and safety of residents.
“These bills underscore that here in New Jersey, we still follow the Constitution and uphold the rule of law,” said Sherrill. “My focus as governor remains on keeping the public safe. As we’ve seen across the country, Donald Trump’s untrained, unaccountable, masked ICE agents are putting people in danger. That’s why in New Jersey, we are protecting our communities—strengthening our protections, banning ICE agents from wearing masks, and protecting residents’ privacy from federal overreach.”
ICE Agents Banned from Wearing Masks
The first law, called Strengthening Trust Between Law Enforcement and Immigrant Communities, prohibits ICE agents from wearing masks while conducting operations in New Jersey.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has since released a statement pushing back on mask bans:
“Sanctuary politicians attempting to ban our federal law enforcement from wearing masks is despicable and a flagrant attempt to endanger our officers,” a DHS spokesperson wrote in a statement. “To be crystal clear: we will not abide by this unconstitutional ban. The Supremacy Clause makes it clear that New Jersey’s sanctuary politicians do not control federal law enforcement…”
Limiting Police Cooperation With Federal Agents
The second law signed by Sherrill strengthens the Immigration Trust Directive, or “a landmark statewide policy designed to strengthen trust between New Jersey’s law enforcement officers and the state’s diverse immigrant communities.”
This law significantly limits state and local police from cooperating with federal officers enforcing immigration policy.
Protecting Immigration Status From Federal Disclosure
The third law makes it illegal to expose another person’s immigration status to federal officers without a judicial warrant.
Sherrill said the law will strengthen the safety of immigrant communities.
What’s Happened Since
Despite new laws, some immigration enforcement has continued as it was.
On April 9, ICE agents were seen ignoring the mask ban, leading Sherrill to release a statement, reading that her office was “prepared to take any necessary measures if ICE continues to violate the law … [i]ncluding taking the Trump Administration back to court.”
On the same day, the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Division sent a letter to Attorney General Jennifer Davenport explaining that “the law was not enforceable against federal officers and no officials would attempt to enforce it.”
The Trump Administration has proceeded to sue Governor Sherrill and Davenport over the mask ban on Wednesday April 29. This is the second time the Trump administration has sued following immigration policies enacted by Sherrill.
In court documents, the Trump Administration claimed that Sherrill’s law would be putting ICE agents at risk of danger. “Federal law enforcement officers have faced a significant increase in doxxing, harassment, and assaults, with antagonists and criminals filming and tracking officers using individual identifiers such as their faces and badges. This conduct has led to violence and undermined law enforcement operations,” the documents read.
Both Sherrill and Davenport have said they intend to fight the lawsuit, according to the New York Times.
As the Trump administration looks to crack down on immigration across the country, one thing is for certain: The legal battle between Trenton and Washington shows no signs of slowing down.
Julia is currently a senior at the Ramapo College of New Jersey studying Journalism while also minoring in Creative Writing and Digital Film. While growing up in Bergen County, she enjoyed exploring new restaurants and landmarks while also taking on different sports such as swimming. At college, she's one of the News Editors and writers at the Ramapo News, often crafting article revolving around entertainment, politics and campus events.