Anti-ICE Facility Advocates Urge Roxbury Attorney, GOP Senate Leader, To Resign

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — Dozens of North Jersey residents have made their opinions known with regard to Roxbury Township Attorney and state Senator Anthony Bucco: They want him out.

The fallout comes as Roxbury pushes back against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility that is planned to operate within the town.

The plan, which is to convert a local warehouse into a detention facility for immigrants, has been met with great backlash from residents, as well as both local and state politicians on both sides of the political aisle.

Related: ICE Buys North Jersey Warehouse For Detention Center, Sparking Bipartisan Outcry

Roxbury officials said they will “not passively accept this outcome,” and are “preparing to pursue all available legal remedies” to halt the warehouse conversion.

Tasked with fighting back against the Department of Homeland Security’s plans on behalf of Roxbury is Bucco, the township’s attorney. Critics say Bucco’s position as the highest-ranking Republican in the State Senate creates a conflict of interest with regard to the facility.

Specifically, critics have issues with Bucco's track record with regard to immigration enforcement, including his support of the New Jersey Laken Riley Act, which would require undocumented NJ immigrants charged with certain crimes to be held without bail.

“I’m here again tonight to demand transparency and removal of our town attorney, Senator Anthony Bucco,” one resident said during a recent council meeting.

"Stopping this starts with getting new legal counsel. A counsel that is passionate about stopping ICE, not aiding them,” another resident said. “Give this town the counsel it deserves: One who will proudly and publicly oppose an ICE detention facility in our town.”

Multiple calls for Bucco’s resignation were met with applause from observers during the March 10 meeting.

Bucco did not directly comment on calls for him to resign during the meeting, and has not responded to Patch inquiries regarding Roxbury’s litigation plan to resist the facility.

On Feb. 25, Bucco issued the following statement with regard to a letter expressing conflict of interest concerns from ethics counsel Philip M. Mersinger:

“From day one, the Township and I have been united in opposing the detention facility in Roxbury. There are significant site-specific challenges that make it impractical and absolutely wrong for DHS to locate such a facility in our suburban community. As it relates to the conflict-of-interest claims, I asked the non-partisan Office of Legislative Services to review these assertions, and their Ethics Counsel confirmed that nothing in the law prevents me from serving in my roles as Township Attorney and State Senator. I would encourage everyone to rise above political theater and work together for the betterment of the Township. I remain committed to representing the Township’s interests in the same principled manner as I have done for almost 30 years.”

Sen. Anthony Bucco