Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced on Mar. 25 a new statewide directive that restricts the voluntary assistance state, county, and local law enforcement officers in New Jersey may provide to federal civil immigration authorities, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The measure aims to strengthen trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities across the state.
The directive is intended to separate the responsibilities of New Jersey’s law enforcement agencies from those of federal immigration authorities, ensuring that immigrants feel safe reporting crimes without fear of deportation. According to Grewal, “We know from experience that individuals are far less likely to report a crime to the local police if they fear that the responding officer will turn them over to federal immigration authorities.” He added, “These new rules are designed to draw a clear distinction between local police and federal civil immigration authorities, ensuring that victims and witnesses feel safe reporting crimes to New Jersey’s law enforcement officers. No law-abiding resident of this great state should live in fear that a routine traffic stop by local police will result in his or her deportation from this country.”
The directive prohibits officers from stopping or detaining individuals based solely on suspected immigration status and restricts participation in ICE operations unless required for serious criminal investigations or emergencies. Officers also cannot provide ICE with access to resources not available to the public or allow interviews with detainees unless legal rights are explained.
Director Veronica Allende of the Division of Criminal Justice said, “We cannot allow the line between our law enforcement officers and U.S. immigration officials – or the line between state criminal law and federal civil immigration law – to become blurred.” Other officials echoed support for building trust within immigrant communities through these measures.
Exceptions exist for emergencies or joint task forces unrelated primarily to civil immigration matters. The directive also requires agencies statewide—including police departments, prosecutors’ offices, sheriff’s offices, correctional facilities—to train staff by March 15 on these policies.
According to the official website, the New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin holds statewide authority over legal standards and public safety matters across all counties and municipalities. The office provides services such as legal representation for state entities, oversight of law enforcement agencies, crime lab support, victim advocacy programs, consumer protection initiatives—and works throughout New Jersey as an agency focused on justice and public safety according to its statutory mandate.
Looking ahead, outreach efforts will be conducted by county prosecutors’ offices aiming at educating both officers and community members about these changes while annual reports will document any cooperation provided by local agencies with federal civil immigration authorities.
