NJ Gov Sherrill signs order restricting state’s cooperation with ICE

(The Center Square) — Federal immigration agents will be barred from using state-owned property as staging areas for enforcement operations under an executive order signed by Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill Wednesday.The governor also launched a new public website allowing residents to report ICE activity, upload videos of enforcement actions, and access “Know Your Rights” information, following similar initiatives in other Democratic-led states.
Sherrill said the executive order will prohibit ICE from using state property to launch operations while the new website will “give New Jersey residents the tools to report ICE activity to the Attorney General’s office and ensure residents know their Constitutional rights.”
“Today, we are making clear that the Trump administration’s lawless actions will not go unchecked in New Jersey,” the Democrat said in a statement. “Given ICE’s willingness to flout the Constitution and violently endanger communities – detaining children, arresting citizens, and even killing several innocent civilians – I will stand up for New Jerseyans’ right to be safe.”
The directive isn’t a complete ban on ICE agents using public property, but means the agencies must have a judicial warrant to access non-public areas of state property, which Sherrill said will ensure that federal authorities can’t conduct civil immigration enforcement without appropriate oversight.
The order comes as New Jersey Democrats and immigrant rights groups say they are noticing an uptick in ICE operations in the state targeting people for deportation. It is clear whether federal authorities have been using state property at staging areas for any of the operations.
While New Jersey is not considered a ‘sanctuary’ state, there are already restrictions on state and local law enforcement and jails from cooperating with federal immigration agents, unless they have a judicial warrant.
The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement Wednesday criticizing Sherrill’s order as “legally illiterate” and saying the new restrictions would ultimately compromise public safety in the state.
“While New Jersey sanctuary politicians continue to release pedophiles, rapists, gang members, and murderers onto their streets, our brave law enforcement will continue to risk their lives to arrest these heinous criminals and make New Jersey safe again,” the agency said. “How does this serve the people of New Jersey? The biggest losers are the people these politicians were elected to serve.”
But the move was praised by immigrant rights groups, including the New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which called it a “meaningful” step to “combat ICE’s lawlessness and abuse.” The group called on lawmakers to approve additional restrictions on cooperating with immigration crackdowns.
“ICE is out of control, endangering our communities, and must be stopped,” ACLU of New Jersey Executive Director Amol Sinha said in a statement. “New Jersey must do everything in its power to keep families safe and defend democracy, and that includes immediate passage of legislation protecting our residents from ICE.”

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