ICE Pulls People From Cars In Somerset County Raids, Officials Say

WARREN, NJ — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids have been reported in Somerset County on Monday.

Members of ICE conducted raids in Warren Township on Monday morning, removing people from their cars and detaining them in multiple instances, according to the Warren Township Democratic Committee.

"This follows a pattern of emboldened and increasingly violent action taken to intimidate and terrorize our neighbors and friends, especially those of color. We strongly condemn these heinous acts and call on elected leaders to stand with us in advocating for ICE's removal from Warren Township and New Jersey," said the Warren Township Democrats.

Warren Township Police Chief Robert W. Ferreiro told Patch that the police department "was not involved in, nor were we provided with advanced notice of, any federal law enforcement activity that occurred in Warren Township yesterday. As such, we do not have any information regarding the specific locations or details of that activity."

"Warren Township Police Department operates in accordance with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Immigrant Trust Directive. Under that directive, local law enforcement does not participate in civil immigration enforcement," said Ferreiro.

Warren Township Mayor Shaun Fine said that the township has not been provided any information on the raids.

"I recognize that residents may have questions or concerns about the presumed federal law enforcement activity that took place in Warren," said Fine. "At this time, the Township has not been provided any information. Having no information, I am not in a position to make statements for or against the actions that took place. Should information be provided that can be shared, I will promptly communicate what we know."

Additionally, there were social media posts claiming sightings of ICE on Friday near the Home Depot in the Bridgewater Towne Center off Route 202.

"We were not advised of their presence in town [Friday]. We were not notified of any operations," said Bridgewater Police Chief John Mitzak.

Morristown Raid

On Sunday, an ICE raid was held in Morristown, where a Morristown High School senior was among a group of people taken, officials said.

The 18-year-old student, Juan Daniel Mendoza, was one of at least seven people who were rounded up near Speedwell Avenue Sunday morning, according to his family. Read More: High School Student Doing Laundry Among Those Detained In Morris Co. ICE Raid

Lawmakers Advance 3 Bills To Limit ICE Powers In NJ

Legislators are advocating for several new policies, the Immigrant Protection Bill Package, that would limit the abilities of ICE in New Jersey and protect the Garden State’s immigrants.

The new policies come as a Minneapolis woman, Renee Nicole Good, was shot by ICE agents during a raid on Wednesday.

Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and mother of three, was shot to death during an encounter with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota last Wednesday. The shooting has ignited a national controversy, with many people criticizing ICE and decrying the immigration crackdown happening under President Donald Trump – and many others staunchly defending the actions of the officer. Read More: Minneapolis Tense After Deadly ICE Shooting, Federal Presence Surges

"Now they're killing Americans on the street," said Sen. Raj Mukherji, an advocate for the immigration policies. "Imagine if local police were involved in an incident like that in New Jersey. ICE is violating folks' civil rights every single day. Should our constituents and local taxpayers be on the hook for the damages that will inevitably result from those lawsuits?"

Among the legislation is Bill A6309, introduced by assemblywomen Annette Quijano and Ellen J. Park, which would restrict local law enforcement from disclosing the immigration status of residents to ICE agents within their jurisdiction.

While the Immigrant Trust Directive policy already regulates this, Bill A6309 would turn the restriction from just a policy into a law.

Another bill, Bill A6310, also introduced by Park, would designate areas including schools, hospitals, shelters, courthouses, and places of worship as locations in which federal civil law enforcement initiatives could not be carried out.

Read More: Lawmakers Advance 3 Bills To Limit ICE Powers In NJ Amid Nationwide Controversy

— With reporting by Jack Slocum

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