Pam Bondi‘s DOJ continues its streak of blunders, misspelling the name of a well-known New Jersey official in a federal lawsuit challenging an executive order issued by the state’s recently elected Democratic governor.
The lawsuit aims to overturn an executive order signed by Gov. Mikie Sherrill on Feb. 11. This order prevents ICE from using state property for immigration enforcement operations without a judge’s warrant. Sherrill announced the order to limit warrantless ICE activity on New Jersey property.
In its complaint, the DOJ misspelled the name of one of the defendants and the filing used the incorrect spelling while claiming that the executive order discriminates against federal immigration agents and interferes with their authority.
The Justice Department argues that the governor’s directive breaks the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution by hindering federal immigration enforcement. The complaint states that ICE agents are treated differently from other law enforcement due to the executive order’s restrictions on state facilities.
Law&Crime reported that the misspelling appeared in both the caption and the body of the complaint. This error attracted attention because the lawsuit targets a high-ranking official whose name is well-known in New Jersey politics.
Sherrill’s executive order says that state-owned or leased property cannot be used for immigration enforcement without a warrant from a judge. The governor stated during the signing that the measure aimed to ensure that constitutional protections were met and clarify the state’s stance on working with federal authorities.
The DOJ filing asks for declaratory and injunctive relief to block the enforcement of the order. The complaint claims that federal immigration officers have the power to perform their duties under federal law and that states cannot impose extra conditions on that authority.
Bondi, who has stressed the importance of increased immigration enforcement, has supported legal actions against state and local policies that restrict cooperation with federal immigration officers. The department’s lawsuit in New Jersey is part of a larger initiative to challenge what it calls sanctuary-style restrictions.
Law&Crime noted that the spelling error was still in the public version of the complaint at the time of publication. It was unclear if the Justice Department would submit an amended complaint to correct the mistake.
A spokesperson for the New Jersey governor’s office declined to comment on the case due to ongoing legal proceedings. The Justice Department has not publicly addressed the misspelling.
The dispute revolves around the power balance between federal immigration enforcement and state control over public property. Similar issues have emerged in other states where Democratic governors and legislatures have created policies that limit cooperation with ICE.
Federal courts have previously ruled on how much states must support federal immigration authorities. The outcome of the New Jersey case could further clarify the limits of state authority and federal enforcement powers.
This lawsuit comes amid a hotly debated topic of immigration policy and partisan divisions.
