TRENTON (WCBS 880) — New Jersey’s attorney general on Friday ordered two counties to end cooperation agreements with federal immigration authorities.
Attorney General Gurbir Grewal's announcement came one day after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained more than 50 people in the state.
The arrests were made under what’s called a 287(g) agreement, which allows ICE work to be done by local officers.
“It's clear that these agreements only serve to confuse residents about which law enforcement officers work for the state and which ones work for the feds,” Grewal said after putting a halt to the agreements.
A directive made last year limited law enforcement’s cooperation with ICE, but authorities in Cape May and Monmouth counties had separate agreements to perform some immigration functions.
Grewal said those agreements have created too many issues.
“The overwhelming majority of New Jersey's police leaders already appreciate the problems that these agreements can create,” he said.
Those problems include a lack of cooperation from the community, which he says creates fear and uncertainty.
“Critics like to claim that we're providing quote, ‘sanctuary to dangerous criminals.’ Nothing could be further from the truth,” the attorney general added.
This latest order is aimed directly at those two remaining counties. If they choose not to comply, he says there will be consequences.