By: Michael Matthews | Published: February 17th, 2026
The results of the special primary on February 5 to fill the Congressional seat that was previously filled by Governor Mikie Sherrill are finally in. On Tuesday, February 10, former NJ07 (2019-2023) Representative Tom Malinowski conceded to Progressive Activist Analilia Mejia. The special general election, which takes place on April 16, will determine who will actually fill Governor Sherrill’s seat. That election will be between Mejia and Mayor Joe Hathaway of Randolf Township. That race’s winner will finish the remainder of Sherrill’s term, which expires on January 3, 2027.
On Wednesday, February 11, Governor Sherrill signed an executive order No.12 limiting the presence of federal immigration agents on state-owned property. It prohibits ICE from entering places like state offices and college dormitories without judicial authorization. She launched her state portal to help New Jersey residents report interactions with ICE and it will track enforcement trends. The order is part of a broader effort by her administration to protect immigrants’ rights and limit certain federal enforcement tactics on state property. Under this new order, ICE agents could still access public areas on state property, but they cannot use state property as a staging area, processing location, or operations base.
Governor Sherrill reported that officials expected the Trump administration to release more than $200 million in frozen funds, after the deadline for an appeals court to allow President Trump to continue holding up construction on the infrastructure project. After an emergency conference with a judge, the federal government funds for the new Hudson River tunnel connecting New York and New Jersey would be not released entirely until Tuesday because of the President’ Day federal holiday on Monday.
All eyes will be on what Governor Sherrill presents for her first proposed budget on March 10. After her address in March, her proposed spending and revenue plan will be analyzed. The plan for fiscal year 2027, which runs from July 1, 2026, through June 20, 2027, is an important factor in how New Jersey state government functions by dictating what state departments and programs will be funded.
For continued coverage of Governor Mikie Sherrill and what the future holds for the residents of New Jersey, check back every Tuesday afternoon with Michael Matthews’s coverage.
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