DOJ Sues NJ Gov. Mikie Sherrill Over ICE Limits, Misspells Her Name in Filing
The Justice Department has sued New Jersey over restrictions on ICE arrests, and the filing is drawing attention for an avoidable mistake.
Multiple outlets report DOJ lawyers repeatedly misspelled the name of the governor they’re suing: New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Trenton, challenges Sherrill’s Feb. 11 executive order that bars federal immigration agents from making arrests in nonpublic areas of state property, including correctional facilities and courthouses. The order also restricts the use of state property as a staging or processing area for immigration enforcement.
AP and WHYY report the complaint argues the policy blocks federal immigration enforcement and violates the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause. NewsOne reports the repeated misspelling was widely noticed after being flagged in political reporting.
The complication is that the typo issue is now competing with the substance of the case, creating a credibility distraction for a lawsuit meant to be forceful and fast-moving.
Related: DOJ Sues New Jersey Over Executive Order Blocking Immigration Enforcement
Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that “States may not deliberately interfere with our efforts to remove illegal aliens and arrest criminals.”
Sherrill, a Democrat who took office Jan. 20, has defended the order as a public safety step and criticized the federal government’s approach to ICE operations, according to AP coverage carried by WHYY.
Procedural errors rarely determine outcomes on their own, but in high-profile immigration fights, even small mistakes can shape how courts, states, and the public read the government’s case.
The next phase will include early motions and responses from New Jersey, and reporting will likely focus on whether DOJ amends the complaint while the broader constitutional dispute moves forward.
For now, the lawsuit is advancing — with the governor’s correctly spelled name becoming its first test.
Related: Judges Demand Answers From Trump Admin After 150+ Immigration Court Order Breaches