Rise In ICE Arrests Addressed By Jersey City Mayor

JERSEY CITY, NJ — A local non-profit chronicling ICE arrests in Hudson County said that activity ramped up in Jersey City in the past week, and the city's mayor has responded.

"Over the past week, we've seen a surge in ICE activity across Jersey City," the group said on Wednesday, saying there were eight arrests since Aug. 29.

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"This last week has been especially difficult for our community in Wards C, D, and E—but we've received reports from all over our city since our org has started. We will not stand for the continued abduction of our neighbors and remain steadfast in our efforts to resist this crisis. We're not anyone special, we're community members just like you who felt the need to do something about ICE and came together to build something ... We will always have the chance to win if we work together."

Jersey City Mayor James Solomon said in a video this week that he got several reports of ICE activity in the city, including four just on Tuesday.

"ICE says they're going after criminals, but the evidence says otherwise," he said.

A recent New York Times study showed that most detainees at the facility don't have criminal records.

"We're going to fight back with everything we have," Solomon said.

Deaths At Delaney

Solomon made reference to the recent death of a father in ICE custody at Delaney Hall in Newark.

On Thursday, a group 0f New Jersey lawmakers sent a letter to the federal government about the three deaths at Delaney this year.

A news report in the British media shared government statistics about the number of people in American immigration detention centers, and how many had past criminal records. Many have been arrested at their immigration hearings.

On Feb. 1 of this year, ICE agents detained 10 people in Jersey City, causing controversy. At least one arrest was made at the Light Rail elevator from Jersey City to Hoboken, an incident videotaped by Jersey City Councilman Jake Ephros, in which an agent said, "We don't need a warrant, bro."

The comment famously drew a response from Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who said, ""We still follow the Constitution here in New Jersey, bro."

Related: Hoboken Bartender Freed From ICE Custody, Friends Say