Hightstown Councilman Clarifies Borough's Immigration Policy Following Executive Order

HIGHTSTOWN, NJ — Hightstown Council Member Connor Montferrat clarified the town’s stance when it comes to immigration laws this week.

Last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order withholding federal funds from so-called “Sanctuary Cities.”

Sanctuary Cities are municipalities with established policies that don't require local agencies to go after residents based on their status as U.S. citizens.

Hightstown is listed on the Ohio Jobs and Justice Pac’s Original List of Sanctuary Cities, USA. The site notes that Hightstown “disputes the designation.

On Monday, Montferrat said there was some confusion that emerged following a resolution that was passed in 2005, calling on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to, in part, “not create needless mistrust and fear of the Hightstown Borough Police Department and other municipal agencies.”

The resolution doesn't state that Hightstown Police won’t turn over those who break the law based on their immigration status. Instead, it reads, in part:

"NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Hightstown strongly encourage ICE to engage in conduct that does not create needless mistrust and fear of the Hightstown Borough Police Department and other municipal agencies which are committed to help, rather than harm, productive and valuable members of our community; and

"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Hightstown will commit itself and the resources of the Borough of Hightstown to restoring the trust Hightstown Borough residents have in the municipal government and police department, so that all Hightstown residents and visitors, including all immigrants, can have the confidence to contact and interact with local police without fear of immigration consequences; and

"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Hightstown strongly encourage the President of the United States and the U.S. Congress to continue to pass rational and just immigration laws that will provide undocumented immigrants with the opportunity to legalize their status based on the sponsorship of their family members and employers."

The resolution was crafted in response to ICE agents not fully identifying themselves when detaining undocumented immigrants. They identified themselves as “police” leading some to believe they were Hightstown Police, which they weren’t.

It was also crafted in order to stop domestic violence disputes and stop women from being afraid of coming forward.

The intent has been misconstrued over the years, including in 2011, when Republican council candidates Skye Gilmartin and John Archer conducted a phone survey asking residents what impact the term “Sanctuary City” has had on the town. That survey drew the ire of many community members who came to the town’s defense.

In 2015, Hightstown Mayor Larry Quattrone reiterated in 2015 that Hightstown is not a sanctuary city.

The Ohio Jobs and Justice Pac was founded by Tea Party activist Steve Salvi. The organization focuses on focus on the effects of illegal immigration on the civil rights of American citizens, the economy, U.S. sovereignty, and post 9-11 national security.

While its list of Sanctuary Cities is widely referenced, other lists, such as those compiled by Politico and the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) make no mention of Hightstown.

“The borough strongly believes in keeping community policing practices in place and the police men and women knowing their residents,” Montferrat said in an email to Patch on Monday. “Hightstown follows all federal, state and local laws passed."