Justice Department backs mosque’s claim that New Jersey zoning rules treat houses of worship unequally

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a Statement of Interest July 13, 2026, supporting a proposed mosque’s claim that zoning rules in Sayreville, New Jersey, treat houses of worship less favorably than comparable secular assemblies.

The filing supports Masjid Sadar Inc. and Shameer Properties LLC, which are seeking to build a mosque for Sayreville’s growing Muslim community. The Justice Department argues that the borough’s zoning code requires houses of worship to obtain discretionary conditional-use permits, while secular assembly uses are allowed as of right.

Justice Department lawyers also argue that the code imposes stricter dimensional requirements on houses of worship than on nonreligious assembly uses. The government says the plaintiffs are likely to succeed on their claim under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, or RLUIPA, which bars unequal treatment of religious land uses.

The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. The Justice Department’s filing is not a final court judgment and does not determine whether the mosque’s zoning application will ultimately be approved. The next step is continued litigation before the federal court.