NEWARK, N.J. – According to a new filing from the U.S. Department of Justice, a Newark Police Department directive effectively prevents city officers from responding to calls for service at the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility, escalating an ongoing legal battle between the federal government and the City of Newark.
In a June 11 court filing submitted in United States v. City of Newark, DOJ attorneys argued that Newark Police Department Memorandum 26-01, issued on June 8, instructs officers not to handle calls related to Delaney Hall and instead notify supervisors if dispatched to the facility.
The federal government contends the policy creates what it described as a “zone of lawlessness” where the public, federal officials, and contractors can no longer rely on Newark police to respond to emergencies.
According to the filing, the directive comes amid weeks of unrest outside Delaney Hall. DOJ cited incidents involving physical obstruction of federal operations, assaults on immigration officers, and threats directed at law enforcement personnel and their families.
Federal attorneys argue the memorandum is the latest consequence of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka’s long-standing sanctuary city policies, particularly Executive Order MEO 17-001, which limits the use of city resources in support of federal civil immigration enforcement. The Justice Department claims the police directive effectively extends that policy by preventing Newark officers from responding to disturbances and other incidents at the detention center.
The filing further argues that the policy forces federal immigration authorities to divert personnel and resources away from immigration enforcement duties in order to address security concerns that would ordinarily be handled by local law enforcement.
DOJ also alleges the directive discriminates against the federal government by singling out Delaney Hall, the only federal immigration detention facility within Newark, while leaving police services available to other detention facilities and locations throughout the city. The government argues this treatment supports its broader claim that Newark is unlawfully targeting federal immigration authorities for unfavorable treatment.
The Justice Department did not seek to amend its complaint or supplement pending briefing in the case. Instead, attorneys told U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin that they were notifying the court of what they described as significant new information directly related to the issues already raised in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit challenges Newark’s sanctuary city policies and remains pending in federal court.
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