Feds Put Montclair On 'Sanctuary City' List, Demand Compliance

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Montclair has landed on the Trump administration’s new list of sanctuary cities that are allegedly “defying federal immigration law,” although it’s unclear why the township has been cited – and what consequences may follow.

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a list of towns and cities that it has identified as “sanctuary jurisdictions.” The list included several municipalities in Essex County: Bloomfield, East Orange, Maplewood, Montclair, Newark and South Orange.

The list was created as part of an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in April.

“These sanctuary city politicians are endangering Americans and our law enforcement in order to protect violent criminal illegal aliens,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem alleged.

“We are exposing these sanctuary politicians who harbor criminal illegal aliens and defy federal law,” Noem added. “Sanctuary politicians are on notice: comply with federal law.”

The DHS is now demanding that these jurisdictions “immediately review and revise their policies to align with federal immigration laws.”

Montclair and the other named towns and cities will receive formal notifications about the designation, federal authorities said.

No specific details were provided about why each town or city was placed on the list.

Several municipalities in New Jersey have declared sanctuary status. Montclair hasn't taken that specific step, but passed similar legislation when Trump took office for his first term in 2017.

That year, the Montclair Town Council approved a resolution that reaffirms its commitment to “equal, respectful and dignified treatment of all people, regardless of their immigration status.”

>> Read More: Montclair Adopts ‘Welcoming Community’ Resolution To Protect Immigrants

Montclair township and school officials have also issued advisories about federal immigration enforcement under Trump’s second term.

The Montclair Public School District issued an email to community members about ICE enforcement in January, reaffirming its “unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and privacy of all students and families.”

Meanwhile, the following message was posted to the Montclair municipal website on Jan. 30:

“The mayor and council of Montclair, along with the township manager, would like to make clear that all persons in Montclair – including immigrants that reside or work in, or visit the township – are all equally valued and have the right to be treated fairly and with dignity.”

>> Read More: Montclair And ICE: School District, Town Officials Share Guidance

President Trump has repeatedly threatened to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities, but those efforts have largely been shot down in court.

Advocates in New Jersey have argued that legal precedent is on their side.

“The Trump administration is targeting New Jersey cities for standing up for its residents and our constitutional rights,” ACLU-NJ executive director Amol Sinha said last week.

“For decades, courts have held that the Constitution prevents the federal government from commandeering state and local resources for federal purposes, including immigration enforcement,” Sinha continued.

“This is yet another escalation of the Trump administration’s shameful campaign to intimidate states, cities, and elected officials who won’t do their bidding,” Sinha added.

• See Related: NJ Congresswoman Disputes Charges From Feds After ICE Scuffle
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As part of his campaign platform, Trump vowed to immediately launch a nationwide immigration crackdown. The president didn’t waste any time making his first moves. On his first day in office, the White House announced a sweeping wave of actions and executive orders, including several involving immigration.

“Over the last four years, the United States has endured a large-scale invasion at an unprecedented level,” the Trump administration said. “Millions of illegal aliens from nations and regions all around the world successfully entered the United States where they are now residing.”

“This cannot stand,” the president continued. “A nation without borders is not a nation, and the federal government must act with urgency and strength to end the threats posed by an unsecured border.”

In April, New Jersey's top federal prosecutor, Alina Habba – a Trump-appointee – announced that she has launched an investigation into Gov. Phil Murphy and state Attorney General Matt Platkin over a directive for local and state police not to cooperate with federal agents conducting immigration enforcement.

• See Related: U.S. Attorney Launches Investigation Into Top NJ Officials

Murphy’s administration has been largely supportive of immigration. Under his tenure, former AG Gurbir Grewal issued the "Immigrant Trust Directive," which limits cooperation between New Jersey law enforcement and immigration officials.

A bill that would make the directive state law is pending in the Legislature, but hasn’t advanced.

Meanwhile, immigrant rights groups in New Jersey have been putting up red flags about the impact that mass deportations will have across the state.

• See Related: NJ Immigrants Need More Protection From Trump, Activists Tell Governor
• See Related: Trump Targets Sanctuary Cities, NJ Immigrants Fight Back

In contrast to Trump’s repeated claims that such immigrants threaten public safety, advocates such as the American Immigration Council found that immigrants – including undocumented immigrants – commit crimes at a lower rate than people born in the United States.

“The scapegoating of ethnic and religious minorities is well-tread historical ground in the United States, and immigrants have always made for an easy target,” the national organization said. “Chinese, Irish, Italian, Muslim, Mexican—all these people and more have been falsely accused of bringing crime into the United States, particularly during times of economic or political unease.”

• See Related: NJ Undocumented Immigrants Pay $1B In Taxes, Study Says (Here’s How)
• See Related: NJ Businesses That ‘Threaten’ Immigrant Workers Will Face Penalties

According to the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ), the state’s largest immigration coalition, Trump and his supporters are leading people on a wild goose chase by playing on their fears:

“Even though the rate at which undocumented immigrants are arrested for committing crimes is far below that of native-born citizens, advocates expect the administration will continue to use rare, sensationalized criminal cases emboldening anti-immigrant narratives to justify large-scale sweeps and workplace raids that result in the collateral arrests of bystanders.”

Immigrant rights groups in New Jersey have also criticized former president Joe Biden for his national policies in the past.

• See Related: NJ Activists Say Biden’s Playbook On Immigration Is Similar To Trump’s

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