ICE Surrounds Van In Somerset County, Video Shows

WARREN, NJ — More officials are condoning the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Warren Township after a video and pictures came to light. (See the video below)

"ICE officers carried out enforcement actions on Stirling Road and Hillcrest Road, directly along Watchung’s borders, and detained several members of our community. These arrests follow similar ICE raids reported last week in Bridgewater and the Morristown area," according to the Watchung Dems. "These actions are part of a troubling pattern of aggressive and intimidating tactics that instill fear and uncertainty among our neighbors, friends, and families, particularly within immigrant communities and communities of color."

Warren Township Mayor Shaun Fine, a Republican, confirmed one of the ICE operations in town.

"I was only aware of an incident on Hillcrest Blvd. based on the video posted online. We have not been provided any information or details on the activities in town," said Fine.

A video shared with Patch shows a white van surrounded by multiple vehicles and authorities seen running over to it on Hillcrest Boulevard just off Exit 40 of Interstate 78 in Warren Township on Monday.

Warren Township Police Chief Robert Ferreiro told Patch that "nothing was reported to Warren PD, and we have no specific locations regarding the activity that occurred on Monday."

A photo was also posted in a local community Facebook group with the caption "ICE in Warren, pulling people out of their cars on Stirling Road just south of the high school. This was approximately 9am on Monday 1/12."

Watchung Hills Regional High School is located at 108 Stirling Road in Warren and serves students in Warren, Watchung, Green Brook, and Long Hill.

"An enforcement action carried out so close to the high school, a day care center, and a pediatrician’s office jeopardizes the physical and emotional safety of students and young people, subjecting them to potentially dangerous interactions with undertrained and heavily armed ICE personnel," according to the Watchung Dems.

The reported ICE operations reportedly took place near the Watchung border. However, Watchung Police Captain Sherif Zaiton told Patch, "Our agency did not receive any reports of ICE operations on Monday."

ICE did not return Patch's request for comment.

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

• Related: ICE Pulls People From Cars In Somerset County Raids, Officials Say
• Related: Lawmakers Advance 3 Bills To Limit ICE Powers In NJ Amid Nationwide Controversy

— With reporting by Jack Slocum

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.