Lacey Committee Votes To Oppose NJ As A 'Sanctuary State'

LACEY, N.J. — Lacey officials voted to oppose New Jersey becoming a "sanctuary state" at Thursday night's Caucus & Township meeting. New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal limited the types of voluntary assistance state, county and local law enforcement can provide to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in November.

Lacey's Township Committee voted unanimously on a resolution "opposing NJ becoming a Sanctuary State." Lacey joins nearby Berkeley Township, whose municipal council passed a resolution opposing New Jersey "becoming a sanctuary state," according to Shore News Network.

New Jersey's recent directives are designed to strengthen trust between New Jersey law enforcement officers and the state's immigrant communities, according to a release from the Office of Attorney General.

Attorney General Directive 2018-6, known as the "Immigrant Trust Directive," provides that, except in limited circumstances, New Jersey's law enforcement officers:

• Cannot stop, question, arrest, search, or detain any individual based solely on actual or suspected immigration status;
• Cannot ask the immigration status of any individual, unless doing so is necessary to the ongoing investigation of a serious offense and relevant to the offense under investigation;
• Cannot participate in civil immigration enforcement operations conducted by ICE;
• Cannot provide ICE with access to state or local law enforcement resources, including equipment, office space, databases, or property, unless those resources are readily available to the public;
• Cannot allow ICE to interview an individual arrested on a criminal charge unless that person is advised of his or her right to a lawyer.

Grewal emphasized that nothing in the directive limits New Jersey law enforcement agencies from enforcing state law – and nothing in the directive should be read to imply that New Jersey provides "sanctuary" to those who commit crimes in this state.

Matthew Albence, a deputy director of ICE, issued a statement in response, saying the directive "shields certain criminal aliens, creating a state-sanctioned haven for those seeking to evade federal authorities."

Read more: NJ Imposes New Rules On Turning Over Unauthorized Immigrants

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