New Jersey Lawmakers Renew Push to Restrict ICE Operations with Three Fresh Immigration Bills
New Jersey politicians continue to discuss strengthening federal immigration enforcement. On Thursday, the state Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee passed three immigration-related bills, signaling a Democratic push to battle ICE.
The committee voted 5-2 for all three initiatives. The Assembly and Senate must approve the suggestions before the governor.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill issued an executive order prohibiting federal immigration enforcement on state-owned land a day earlier. Residents can report ICE activity on a governor-launched website. These measures reflect a New Jersey policy shift toward stricter immigration enforcement.
A plan to require ICE and other law enforcement to show their faces is under debate. A1743, the bill, lets police wear masks for medical, natural catastrophe, and undercover investigations. Unlike an earlier draft, this one does not include criminal penalties or fines. It defers to state attorney general enforcement and sanctions.
Proponents claim it will increase trust and openness. Bill sponsor Assemblywoman Annette Quijano said accountability trumped law enforcement change. Safety and clarity in officer-public interactions were her priorities.
Another measure, A4070, amends Phil Murphy-vetoed legislation. Non-law enforcement state bodies cannot share immigration data under the Privacy Protection Act. Personal data in schools, hospitals, and libraries is protected.
Third, A4071 would legalize New Jersey’s Immigrant Trust Directive. This regulation limits local police cooperation with federal immigration officials. Supporters say legalizing it will prevent future governors from reversing it by administrative action.
Governor Sherrill wants the Immigrant Trust Directive permanently enacted. She has not decided whether to sign the companion Privacy Protection Act.
Murphy blocked two similar ICE-related bills last month out of concern they could be challenged in court. Immigrant-rights activists urged lawmakers and the new administration to try again after his veto, arguing that executive orders do not give long-term protection.
Before Thursday’s Trenton committee meeting, immigrant-rights activists demonstrated outside the Statehouse to urge speedy legislation. Hearing room debate heated up.
Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee Chairman Joe Danielsen said state lawmakers must adjust to changing ICE methods. Meanwhile, Assemblyman Paul Kanitra became the main Republican bill critic. He said restricting federal officers would hurt them and enforcement.
At the hearing, lawmakers debated. Kanitra justified federal agents wearing masks because they were under danger. The plans’ advocates claimed community confidence required transparency and consistency.
Advocates for civil freedoms spoke. The ACLU of New Jersey advocated for stronger rights, notably for deportees seeking legal remedies. They stated that immigration enforcement last year hurt state families and towns.
DHS’s ICE implements federal immigration laws nationally. States disagree on how much local and state resources should help federal immigration officials. New Jersey state legislators trying to determine local enforcement boundaries and federal agencies executing immigration policy clash.
The three bills are proposed. Their passage by both legislative houses and governor signature are required. New Jersey may balance federal immigration enforcement with state transparency and data protection requirements after debate.
The question will remain politically hot as lawmakers consider public safety, legal difficulties, and state immigration jurisdiction in the coming weeks.
Sources:
New Jersey State Legislature
Office of the Governor of New Jersey
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
