NJ law banning immigration detention contracts overturned by US appeals court

PHILADELPHIA AP A U S appeals court on Tuesday struck down a New Jersey law that bans operators from contracting with the federal regime to run immigration detention centers in the state The - ruling means the private prison firm CoreCivic Corp can continue to operate the Elizabeth Detention Center The ruling marked a success for President Donald Trump s administration as it continues a crackdown on immigration around the country that has included efforts to expand a structure of detention centers in a bid to ramp up deporations of certain immigrants Just as states cannot regulate the federal cabinet itself they cannot regulate private parties in a way that severely undercuts a federal function U S Circuit Judge Stephanos Bibas an appointee of President Trump wrote The law he explained interferes with the federal governing body s core power to enforce immigration laws The law signed by New Jersey Gov Phil Murphy barred CoreCivic from renewing its contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement The company sued and a district judge sided with the firm before the state appealed the ruling to the rd U S Circuit Court Attorney General Matthew Platkin in a social media post called Tuesday s ruling disappointing and disclosed states have the right to protect people within their borders He explained the office is considering its next measures As up-to-date events at Delaney Hall underscore entrusting detention to for-profit companies poses grave risks to robustness and safety he disclosed referring to modern turmoil over conditions at a -bed private prison facility that opened in May in Newark U S Rep LaMonica McIver a Democrat was charged by Trump s Justice Department with assaulting immigration officers at a May visit to the Newark facility McIver has pleaded not guilty to the charges Newark Mayor Ras Baraka who was also arrested on a trespassing charge at Delaney Hall that was later dropped has filed a malicious prosecution lawsuit CoreCivic in a announcement Tuesday revealed that it does not make arrests or enforce immigration laws Our responsibility is to care for each person respectfully and humanely while they receive the legal due process that they are entitled to spokesman Ryan Gustin noted Source