Nearby ICE-Related Shooting Raises Concerns With Bernards Township Residents

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — A shooting related to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in a nearby Morris County suburb has prompted Bernards Township to share resources with its residents.

"In light of recent activity in Morristown from the office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, we had received inquiries from residents, primarily those of underrepresented backgrounds, concerned about whether they should be carrying identification," said Mayor Ana Duarte McCarthy.

McCarthy said the Township had been providing some information anecdotally. However, they are now sharing the information on their website, bernards.org.

The information can be found on the website under the Residents tab for the "Know Your Rights - Office of New Americans" New Jersey Government website.

"This provides any resident information on their rights, whether or not they are visitors to New Jersey, or what they are entitled to, and the responsibilities they have when interacting with any type of immigration enforcement officers," said McCarthy. "That is available now to all."

On Tuesday, ICE was conducting an operation in Roxbury to apprehend Jesus Fabian Lopez-Banegas, a Honduran national, according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson. Read More: Morris County ICE Shooting: What We Know

The DHS says that Lopez-Banegas was wanted for drug trafficking charges, drug possession, and driving under the influence, adding that a judge ordered him to be removed from the country in 2021.

During the arrest, Lopez-Banegas attempted to evade agents and rammed into a law enforcement vehicle before trying to run over an agent with his own, DHS officials said.

Roxbury has been dealing with ICE concerns since the agency announced plans to turn a local warehouse into an ICE detention center.

— With reporting by Jack Slocum

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