Dozens Of NJ Workers In Custody After ICE Warehouse Raid

EDISON, NJ – Dozens of immigrant workers were detained in a federal raid conducted at a warehouse in Edison on Wednesday.

According to advocacy groups, 29 workers were taken into custody by agents from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

This is the second ICE raid in Edison in the past few months with one taking place on July 8 at the Alba Wine and Spirits warehouse. At least 20 workers were detained by ICE during the raid.

The ICE raid took place at the Smart Supply Chain Warehouse facility, a distribution center that houses companies like Amazon and FedEx.

In a statement to Patch, Mayor Sam Joshi's office said that on Wednesday, the Edison Police Department was notified by Homeland Security that they would be "conducting an operation in Edison."

"We were informed afterwards that 29 individuals were taken into custody at 65 Patrick Avenue.
A Customs bonded warehouse falls under Title 19 CFR 19," Joshi's office said.

Advocacy group New Labor posted videos online of the raid. Several ICE agents were seen at the warehouse property.

After the raid, the warehouse was empty as many workers left the scene, the videos showed.

In a statement to Univision, a Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said the agency conducted a surprise inspection at the bonded warehouse. The operation was part of its routine efforts to verify compliance with customs, employment, and safety regulations, and not specifically immigration related.

On Thursday, Congressman Frank Pallone condemned the raid, saying the excessive show of force was meant to terrify the immigrant community.

He also criticized President Donald Trump’s immigration policy, saying ICE’s raids are causing disruption to families and communities.

“Once again, President Trump is terrorizing our communities and raiding places of work. Trump keeps suggesting that he is only arresting or deporting hardened criminals and gangsters. Yesterday’s raid in Edison is more proof his administration will stretch the law without a warrant. The warehouse workers were just trying to do their jobs when armed agents stormed in rounding up our neighbors without warning or cause, just to make a political point,” Pallone said.

“This excessive show of force is meant to terrify immigrant communities and undermine due process. Many of those detained have lived here for years, paid taxes, and contribute to our economy. And now, because of the One Big Ugly Bill Republicans passed, Trump is getting billions more to turbocharge his deportation machine — while gutting health care and food assistance for millions of Americans.”

Meanwhile, Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim called the enforcement action "performative theatrics" that do little to enhance public safety or advance meaningful, effective immigration reform.

"Yesterday’s chaotic raid on a shipping warehouse in Edison, which resulted in multiple injuries, serves as yet another stark reminder that, despite Trump’s pledge to go after the so-called ‘worst of the worst,’ his administration is instead just terrorizing workers and immigrant communities. Raids like this don’t only devastate the families affected, they destabilize local businesses and disrupt our economy," Booker and Kim said.

"This is another shameful attempt by the Trump administration to distract from its corruption, broken promises, and harmful policies that are hurting Americans. We condemn this raid as these actions run counter to New Jersey’s values of building safe and thriving communities. New Jerseyans deserve better than this fear and intimidation, and we will continue to stand firmly against this administration’s abuses.”

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