Trenton, NJ – Gov. Mikie Sherrill said Tuesday that New Jersey will not provide the personal information of thousands of residents to the U.S. Department of Justice, arguing the request lacks legal authority and would violate federal and state privacy laws.
Some legal experts and pundits have described Sherrill’s letter as obstruction of justice.
In a letter dated Tuesday to Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Sherrill responded to a federal request for information following the state’s disclosure of a voter registration error involving the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.
Dear Assistant Attorney General Dhillon:
I write in response to your letter dated July 21, 2026. Earlier that day, I announced that a serious system error at the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, between June 2023 and June 2024, led to an improper voter registration of thousands of individuals through no fault of their own. New Jersey’s Division of Elections is working tirelessly in coordination with county election officials to rectify this error.
With no legal basis, you requested that I provide extensive personal information about thousands of New Jersey residents. Providing this information in response to your request is limited by federal laws, including the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552a(a), (e), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2721–2725. There are also further privacy restrictions under state law. See, e.g., N.J. Stat. Ann. §§ 39:2-3.3, 39:2-3.4, 47:1A-1, 47:1A-1.1, 47:1A-5.3, 47:1B-3. Here and always, I remain committed to protecting New Jerseyans’ personally identifying information.
We have responded to your filing in the litigation in United States v. Caldwell, No. 3:26-cv-2025 (D.N.J.).
We will continue to ensure that New Jersey’s elections remain free, fair, and secure.
Earlier this month, the governor announced that “a serious system error at the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, between June 2023 and June 2024, led to an improper voter registration of thousands of individuals through no fault of their own.”
She wrote that the New Jersey Division of Elections is working with county election officials “to rectify this error.”
Sherrill said she will defend those illegal migrants from the Department of Justice.
Governor says request lacks legal basis
Sherrill said the Justice Department requested “extensive personal information about thousands of New Jersey residents,” but argued the request was unsupported by law.
Those residents requested have all been verified as illegal aliens who were noted as being illegally registered to vote. 400 actually voted, according to Sherrill.
“With no legal basis, you requested that I provide extensive personal information about thousands of New Jersey residents,” Sherrill wrote.
She added that releasing the information “is limited by federal laws, including the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552a(a), (e), and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2721–2725.” The governor also cited several New Jersey statutes that she said further restrict disclosure of personally identifiable information.
In a statement posted on social media, Sherrill said, “Today, I informed @AAGDhillon that New Jersey will not provide the personal information of thousands of New Jersey residents. The request had no legal basis, and I will always protect New Jerseyans’ personally identifiable information.”
Litigation remains pending
The governor’s letter also notes that New Jersey has already responded to a filing in the federal case United States v. Caldwell, pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
“We have responded to your filing in the litigation in United States v. Caldwell,” the letter states.
Sherrill concluded by reaffirming the state’s commitment to election integrity, writing, “We will continue to ensure that New Jersey’s elections remain free, fair, and secure.”
The Justice Department had not publicly responded to the governor’s letter as of Tuesday afternoon.
