The administration of President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the state of New Jersey and its governor, Mikie Sherrill, challenging a recent executive order that restricts federal immigration enforcement activities on certain state-owned properties.

Governor Sherrill’s order, issued earlier this month, bars immigration officers from carrying out enforcement actions on state-owned properties that are not open to the public unless they possess a judicial warrant.

In the lawsuit filed on Monday, the Justice Department argued that the directive is unconstitutional and interferes with the federal government’s authority to enforce immigration laws. The department stated that the order “directly regulates and discriminates against the Federal Government.”

US Attorney General Pam Bondi criticized the move, saying federal agents “are risking their lives to keep New Jersey citizens safe,” while accusing state leaders of obstructing law enforcement efforts. She added that states may not interfere with federal attempts to remove undocumented immigrants and arrest criminals.

Governor Sherrill, who assumed office last month, responded by urging the federal government to focus on better training immigration agents so they can operate more safely and effectively.

Trump’s broader immigration enforcement push has faced heightened scrutiny in recent months, particularly following the fatal shootings of two US citizens by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis in January. During a congressional hearing on Monday, a former immigration official described agent training as “deficient, defective and broken.”

Despite the criticism, the Justice Department maintains that New Jersey’s executive order presents what it called an “intolerable obstacle” to federal immigration enforcement.