New Jersey Lawmakers Fast-Track Bills Limiting Cooperation with ICE Amid Racially Charged Shooting in Minneapolis
Lawmakers in the Garden State have accelerated a package of bills aimed at curbing cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, as they seek to protect immigrant residents from what they describe as racially motivated targeting by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The legislation comes on the heels of a deadly shooting in Minneapolis that left a 37-year-old woman dead during an ICE-led civil immigration enforcement operation. Senator Britnee Timberlake, who sponsored one of the bills, argued that this incident highlights the need for greater protections against such racial profiling.
"This is not about 'open borders' or letting law-abiding undocumented immigrants come and go at will," Timberlake said in a statement. "What we're seeing is an attempt by the federal government to carry out its agenda on our soil, using tactics that are reminiscent of Nazi Germany's Nuremberg trials."
Under the proposed bills, police officers would be prohibited from engaging in racially influenced policing, such as stopping individuals based on their suspected citizenship status. Agencies would also need to develop procedures for visa requests and inform prosecutors about immigration consequences of certain charges.
Another measure would require state agencies to establish policies for "sensitive locations" that prohibit federal civil immigration enforcement on premises like health care centers, schools, and shelters. A third bill would bar government entities and healthcare facilities from asking for personal information like immigration status in some cases.
While lawmakers acknowledge the potential risks of these measures, they argue that greater protections are necessary to shield immigrant residents from what they see as systemic abuse by ICE. Senator Raj Mukherji, a sponsor of one of the bills, countered Republican concerns about the constitutionality of these regulations.
"We've already seen the US District Court and the 3rd Circuit affirm the Immigrant Trust Directive," Mukherji said. "This is not about overstepping federal authority; it's about states having some latitude to regulate private actors."
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy remains undecided on whether he will sign or veto these bills, which are expected to reach his desk in the coming days.
Lawmakers hope that by codifying protections for immigrants, they can create a firewall against what many see as an unaccountable and militarized deportation force. As one advocate put it, "Laws like this are necessary to build a firewall... but we're under no illusions that this will be enough."
The push for these measures comes amidst growing concerns about ICE's activities and the federal government's stance on immigration enforcement. With the nation's eyes fixed on the ongoing immigration debate, lawmakers in New Jersey appear determined to assert their own role in safeguarding immigrant rights within their borders.
Lawmakers in the Garden State have accelerated a package of bills aimed at curbing cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, as they seek to protect immigrant residents from what they describe as racially motivated targeting by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The legislation comes on the heels of a deadly shooting in Minneapolis that left a 37-year-old woman dead during an ICE-led civil immigration enforcement operation. Senator Britnee Timberlake, who sponsored one of the bills, argued that this incident highlights the need for greater protections against such racial profiling.
"This is not about 'open borders' or letting law-abiding undocumented immigrants come and go at will," Timberlake said in a statement. "What we're seeing is an attempt by the federal government to carry out its agenda on our soil, using tactics that are reminiscent of Nazi Germany's Nuremberg trials."
Under the proposed bills, police officers would be prohibited from engaging in racially influenced policing, such as stopping individuals based on their suspected citizenship status. Agencies would also need to develop procedures for visa requests and inform prosecutors about immigration consequences of certain charges.
Another measure would require state agencies to establish policies for "sensitive locations" that prohibit federal civil immigration enforcement on premises like health care centers, schools, and shelters. A third bill would bar government entities and healthcare facilities from asking for personal information like immigration status in some cases.
While lawmakers acknowledge the potential risks of these measures, they argue that greater protections are necessary to shield immigrant residents from what they see as systemic abuse by ICE. Senator Raj Mukherji, a sponsor of one of the bills, countered Republican concerns about the constitutionality of these regulations.
"We've already seen the US District Court and the 3rd Circuit affirm the Immigrant Trust Directive," Mukherji said. "This is not about overstepping federal authority; it's about states having some latitude to regulate private actors."
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy remains undecided on whether he will sign or veto these bills, which are expected to reach his desk in the coming days.
Lawmakers hope that by codifying protections for immigrants, they can create a firewall against what many see as an unaccountable and militarized deportation force. As one advocate put it, "Laws like this are necessary to build a firewall... but we're under no illusions that this will be enough."
The push for these measures comes amidst growing concerns about ICE's activities and the federal government's stance on immigration enforcement. With the nation's eyes fixed on the ongoing immigration debate, lawmakers in New Jersey appear determined to assert their own role in safeguarding immigrant rights within their borders.
ICE is like the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz - always causing trouble and flying away 
I'm so worried about this new law being passed in New Jersey 
it's like they're trying to protect people but also kinda enabling more profiling and division 
that way, everyone can feel safe and heard 
I'm so sick of hearing about racial profiling by law enforcement and ICE. It's just not right that innocent people are being targeted and deported like they're some kind of criminals. We need to start holding our government accountable for its actions and making sure that everyone is treated equally under the law. These new bills in New Jersey are a step in the right direction, but we can't just stop at laws - we need systemic change! 
(source: NJPAC poll, 2022)
(source: NJ.com/Star-Ledger poll, 2020)
(Pew Research Center, 2019)
(Human Rights Watch survey, 2018)
(Congressional Budget Office)
! According to a recent survey, 71% of NJ residents support stricter limits on ICE cooperation with local law enforcement 
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. With the proposed bills, lawmakers are hoping to cut that number by half, which would save the state around $10 million 
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Do you guys think this is setting a good precedent for other states to follow? Shouldnt we be addressing these issues at the federal level instead of each state having its own say 
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they're like super concerned about racial profiling and all that 
i get it, we've seen some wild stuff go down with ice and the whole thing is just super messed up 
like, who doesn't want their cops to stop targeting people based on their immigration status? 
and those "sensitive locations" policies are a great idea too 
we should all be able to go to the doctor or school without being asked about our immigration status 
i'm not gonna lie tho, i do worry about the potential risks of these bills 
it's like, come on Phil! Make up your mind already! The people r counting on u to do what's right.
. Not just more laws and policies... I mean actual change. Can we get that? 
. The feds should focus on actual crimes, not just being racist 
. New Jersey is taking a stand, but will it be enough? 
which is kinda awesome. 
but i think its kinda cool that they wanna protect ppl from being discriminated against by ice 
its like they're saying "nope, not on our watch" and i can get behind that 
but the state is all "hey nope, thats not how we do things around here" 