NJ Attorney General blocks ICE agreements with county jails, intensifying standoff

[Hoffi Gwlithlys]

It is evident the the Murphy Administration is opening up the Pandora's Box of the State of NJ's destruction and his continued belligerence in breaking agreements when the mood strikes him, and his minions are in lock step.This move must be reversed by all legal means possible and to adhere to the agreement of cooperation done earlier this year.                                  

The state attorney general took another step to limit local law enforcement's cooperation with federal immigration officials, intensifying a showdown with two South Jersey sheriffs.

Attorney General Gurbir Grewal on Friday blocked authorities from participating in a U.S. program that trains corrections officers to determine the immigration status of jail inmates and then "flag" them for federal action. At the same time, he expanded the list of criminal offenses where notice to immigration officials is permitted.  .

The changes, announced during a press conference in Newark, seek to prohibit the sheriff’s departments in Monmouth and Cape May counties from continuing with so-called 287(g) agreements that have allowed some of their officers to act as immigration agents in the jails. Grewal gave the sheriffs seven days to wind down the programs. 

Both departments renewed agreementswith U.S. Immigration and Custom... for a decade earlier this year, defying an attorney general’s directive that required state approval for such contracts. The move drew a sharp response from the AG’s office, which demanded justifications as to why the partnerships should be allowed to continue. 

“The goal of the Immigrant Trust Directive is clear — to make it easier for New Jersey’s law enforcement officers to solve crimes and ensure the safety of all 9 million people in our state by building trust with our large and diverse immigrant communities,’’ Grewal said Friday. “Because of the bright line between New Jersey law enforcement officers and federal civil immigration agents, immigrants can come forward as victims and witnesses of crimes without fear of reprisal."

The move was a “disappointing day for law enforcement," Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden said in a statement, adding that he would pursue legal remedies.

“Law enforcement throughout Monmouth County never wants to be faced with a situation where a dangerous, undocumented immigrant is released from jail and poses a threat to a community,’’ Golden said. “However, this sanctuary directive will make our communities less safe, since it places people in those communities at for increased violence."

The Cape May sheriff’s department did not reply to requests for comment. In a written response to the AG last month, Sheriff Robert Nolan attached a list of five individuals charged with various crimes who he said were deemed “egregious” by ICE. Corrections officers detained the immigrants and notified the agency as a result of the training, he said.

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