Hazel Applewhite, CEO of the Ironbound Community Corporation, said in a statement that the fear of ICE raids keeps many families in Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood from accessing the services they rely on.
“From children missing school to seniors and survivors avoiding essential support,” she said, “this legislation allows families to safely get the help they need and ensures our neighborhoods can rebuild and remain connected.”
“We are Jersey brave, and we chose to love our neighbors, because that’s what faithful people do when fear is loud,” said Charlene Walker, executive director of Faith in New Jersey. “We grieve what this victory cannot repair: the lives already shattered, and the loss of Jean Wilson Brutus, whose name we will not let be forgotten.”
During legislative debate, several Republicans voiced opposition to the three bills, saying they protected criminals and ignored the rights of New Jersey residents.
State Senate Republican minority leader Tony Bucco said prohibiting New Jersey law enforcement officers from communicating with federal ICE agents would hurt public safety.
He said the 2004 final 9-11 Commission report filed in response to the terror attacks that destroyed the Twin Towers in New York City concluded, “When these agencies together, that is a contributing factor to missing information that could lead to preventing serious crime or terrorism.”
He said in recent days in Morris County, ICE agents made several arrests, but local law enforcement had not been informed of their operation and did not know what was going on.
“I was told if they had been notified and were able to participate, it would have gone a lot easier and a lot better,” he said. “People would have been safer.”
Democratic state Sen. Raj Mukherji, one of the prime sponsors of the bill, said the legislation is necessary to promote public safety.
He said any federal agency coming into a New Jersey municipality to carry out a mission, including ICE, should notify local law enforcement that it’s doing so.
“ICE has made a habit of not doing that,” he said. “Nothing in this bill would prohibit, preclude any federal agency from making those notifications that would further public safety.”
Mukherji said the bill is designed to make sure dangerous criminals are brought to justice. “Many times that requires victims and witnesses to come forward, who choose not to do so when they are in fear of deportation, even if they have committed no wrongdoing,” he said.
He noted that in many states, immigrants are not coming forward because they don’t trust authorities.
“What we need is to restore that trust between our communities and law enforcement in this state,” Mukherji said.
After the legislation was passed by both Houses, New Jersey American Civil Liberties Union campaign strategist Ami Kachalia said in a statement. “These bills will cement long overdue protections for immigrant New Jerseyans. We urge the Governor to pass these bills as written to better protect the constitutional rights of all New Jerseyans and make our state stronger and safer – it’s what New Jersey, and everyone, deserves.”
