ICE Makes Arrest During 'Coordinated Operation' In NJ City, Mayor Says

PASSAIC, NJ — The mayor of Passaic said that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested one person Tuesday morning in a targeted operation, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Mayor Hector C. Lora shared an update with residents, saying a number of federal agents were along Monroe Street between about 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. to make the arrest.

"It was a coordinated operation that they were able to execute...they apprehended an individual, and they left the city," he said.

The person's charges and identity were not immediately released. Lora said he wanted to keep people informed and prevent false information from spreading online about what happened, as the presence of immigration officials has worried some residents in the city.

"Things like this will continue to occur, not just in our city but in surrounding municipalities," he said.

ICE agents have been spotted in several other New Jersey communities, including during a controversial raid on a Newark business in late January, since President Donald Trump vowed to crack down on illegal immigration.

The mayor said he is committed to keeping Passaic residents safe, and that his administration has worked with federal officials in the past in operations focused on certain crimes.

"We have cooperated and worked with agents throughout the years and throughout my administration, and they have specifically focused on violent criminals or individuals that are involved or engaged in heinous activities," Lora said, giving illegal arms dealing as an example.

He said his approach would not change amid a new spotlight on deportations, so long as ICE operations are conducted lawfully — especially when it comes to people facing serious charges.

"It is important that we stand up for hard working families and residents that are not engaged in violent or serious crimes, while still cooperating and supporting efforts to go after dangerous criminals," Lora continued.

In a statement Sunday, ICE’s regional office in Newark said that the agency “prioritizes the arrest and removal of aliens who pose the greatest threat to our communities, as well as those who have been ordered removed from the U.S. by an immigration judge.”