ICE Agents In Unmarked Cars Seize 2 People In Maplewood, Mayor Says

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Federal immigration agents apprehended two people in Maplewood last weekend, a local official reported Sunday.

According to Mayor Nancy Adams, three ICE agents in unmarked cars apprehended two people just four blocks from her home – an incident that she described as “an aggressive Trump-era tactic meant to sow fear.”

Adams released the following statement about last weekend’s incident:

“The Township of Maplewood reaffirms our commitment to the fair and equal treatment of all residents, regardless of their immigration status, as we did when we adopted Resolution 3-17, on January 3, 2017 that decrees that the police department shall adhere to the directives and guidelines of the New Jersey Attorney General with respect to the manner in which local law enforcement agencies interact with federal immigration authorities. I just returned from a short trip to St. Louis, grateful to come home to the community I’m honored to represent—welcoming, compassionate, and strong in our diversity. That’s why I was shocked to learn that this morning, three ICE agents in unmarked cars apprehended two people just four blocks from my home—an aggressive Trump-era tactic meant to sow fear. This is not who we are. Our town stands for dignity, safety, and belonging—not intimidation. Our police were not notified, nor do we cooperate with ICE. I will be demanding accountability from state and federal leaders. To every resident: you matter, you belong, and you are not alone.”

Local advocacy group SOMA Action also released a statement criticizing the arrests, reporting that the incident took place around 11 a.m.

According to advocates, masked ICE and Border Patrol agents loaded the two arrestees into unmarked, out-of-state vehicles on Prospect Street.

“No SOMA resident should fear being seized on their way to work or have to bear the burden of these injustices alone,” said Allison Posner, co-president of SOMA Action.

“These kidnappings are a blatant violation of human decency,” Posner said.

Earlier this year, Maplewood was one of several Essex County towns and cities that found themselves on a list of sanctuary cities that were allegedly “defying federal immigration law,” although it’s unclear why the township was cited.

The list also included several other municipalities in Essex County: Bloomfield, East Orange, Montclair, Newark and South Orange.

• See Related: Feds Put Maplewood On 'Sanctuary City' List, Demand Compliance
• See Related: Trump's DOJ Names 4 NJ Cities 'Sanctuary Jurisdictions'

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