NJ Fights ICE Arrests: 2 Dads Busted After School Drop-Offs

METUCHEN, NJ — New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal blasted ICE over the arrest of two Indonesian nationals after dropping their children off at school Thursday morning, saying the timing of the arrests “creates a chilling environment for parents who were simply ensuring that their children arrived to school safely.”

“Schools are deemed to be sensitive locations under the policy. Here, the fact that ICE arrested two parents as they were driving away from their children's school is deeply upsetting. I am not aware of any exigent or unique circumstances here that would justify such a departure from ICE's settled policy on sensitive locations,” Grewal wrote in a letter sent to Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen.

Roby Sanger was arrested shortly after dropping his children off at school in Metuchen, and Gunawan Liem, from Franklin Park, was arrested after dropping his children at the bus stop Thursday morning, advocates say.

Metuchen Police told Patch Sanger’s arrest did not occur on school property.

• Read More: Metuchen Dad Arrested By ICE After School Drop-Off, Advocates Say

A third Indonesian national, Harry Pangamanan, of Highland Park, took sanctuary at the Reformed Church of Highland Park after ICE agents came to his house mid-morning on Thursday. Agents left after Pangamanan did not come to the door.

Schools, much like houses of worship and hospitals, are considered sensitive locations under ICE policy. Agents typically avoid making arrests in those locations, unless there are exigent circumstances. An ICE spokesperson would not say if the men had committed non-immigration related offenses, citing privacy laws.

Grewal also asked ICE to apply its sensitive locations policy to state court houses and other state facilities. Courts are currently explicitly excluded from the policy.

“As a former federal prosecutor, county prosecutor, and now the chief law enforcement officer for New Jersey, I fully understand the need to enforce our nation's laws, but I am equally committed to ensuring that all of the residents of New Jersey have a safe environment to attend to their lives, whether it be to attend school, participate in our judicial system, or access state government services,” Grewal wrote.

Officials with DHS have not yet responded to Patch's request for comment on the letter.

All three men are ethnic Chinese Christians who fled Indonesia to escape religious persecution in the 1990s. Approximately 80 undocumented Indonesian Christians live in New Jersey.

Sanger, from Metuchen, lived in America for 21 years and made unsuccessful attempts to gain legal status after overstaying a visa, his church shared in a YouCaring fundraiser.

"Roby applied for asylum but he missed the one-year filing deadline and, consequently, he overstayed his visa. Roby has lived in this country peaceably for the past 21 years and if was given the opportunity for a pathway to citizenship, he would wholeheartedly pursue it," a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Metuchen wrote.

Sanger was the family's sole source of income. The church is collecting donations to support the family's legal and living expenses.

Gov. Phil Murphy and Rep. Frank Pallone, a New Jersey Democrat, blasted the arrests as an unnecessary move by the Trump administration.

“We understand the notion of America, our values, of Constitution, the open doors, the beacon of immigration around the world; that’s the America I know. […] All around the world looks up at our country as the model, and I believe with all my heart it still is that county even though we’ve got a president right now who's doing everything he can to undermine that," Murphy said at a press conference Thursday afternoon at the church.

"The Trump administration has now gone to new lows in its extreme, cruel and inhumane immigration policy. Now it is actually targeting members of our community who are being recognized for their service and commitment to human rights," Pallone said in a statement. "I cannot think of an action that better exemplifies the warped values of the Trump administration."

"Rather than destroying the lives of these refugees the Trump Administration should look to the example of the Reformed Church of Highland Park, which has shown extraordinary compassion to these families in their time of need," Pallone said.

In a letter addressed to the Newark field office director of ICE, John Tsoukaria, Pallone asked the agency to show direction towards undocumented Christian Indonesians, and asking for a fuller explanation as to why Pangamanan was targeted.

Pangamanan recently won a local humanitarian award for his work rebuilding homes after Hurricane Sandy hit.

"It is deeply concerning that shortly after Mr. Pangamanan was publicly honored for his significant work, ICE would target Mr. Pangamanan and attempt to detain him," Pallone wrote.

"I believe the situation merits a larger discussion as to how we can better address the overarching issues surrounding the detainment of Christian Indonesian nationals in my district," Pallone said later in the letter.

Murphy said his office would also look at how they could address the issue.

ICE defended the arrests, saying they were not based on ethnicity but were routine enforcement operations.

"ICE enforces the Nation’s immigration laws while also upholding the humanitarian commitments of the United States. [...] ICE does not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. All those in violation of U.S. immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention, and removal from the United States pursuant to a final order of removal, issued in accordance with law," Emilio Dabul, a public affairs officer with ICE, said to Patch.

Anyone with a removal order receives a "full and fair" proceeding before a court, Dabul said, during which time they can attempt to gain legal status.

"During [court proceedings], they may apply for any relief or protection from removal for which they may be eligible, including asylum. If, at the conclusion of removal proceedings, a federal immigration judge (or, if the order of removal is appealed, the Board of Immigration Appeals) orders an alien removed from the United States and does not grant such protection, it is ICE’s duty to enforce that order, unless a stay of removal is entered," Dabul said. "If removal orders are not given effect, our immigration system would simply have no integrity."

Image via Rep. Pallone's office: Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale of the Reform Church of Highland Park, far left, speaks with Gov. Phil Murphy, far right. Harry Pangamanan can be seen in red.