Man Arrested In Newark ICE Raid Isn’t A Criminal, Cousin Says: Report

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The family member of an undocumented immigrant arrested in last week’s ICE raid in Newark claims that he doesn’t have a criminal record, a report says.

Tensions and anxieties are high in Essex County after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents carried out a surprise raid at a seafood distributor in Newark last Thursday. Three undocumented residents were arrested and several others were detained during the “warrantless” raid, including a U.S. military veteran. See Related: ICE Immigration Raid Shocks New Jersey (5 Things To Know)

As part of his campaign platform, President Donald Trump vowed to immediately launch a nationwide immigration crackdown as soon as he was elected. His administration didn’t waste any time making its first moves. On his first day in office, the White House announced a sweeping wave of presidential actions and executive orders – including several involving immigration.

“Our southern border is overrun by cartels, criminal gangs, known terrorists, human traffickers, smugglers, unvetted military-age males from foreign adversaries, and illicit narcotics that harm Americans, including America,” Trump declared.

But according to Jennifer Jimenez, none of that applies to her 29-year-old cousin, David.

Jimenez recently told NJ Advance Media that her cousin – a native of Ecuador – was one of the people arrested during last Thursday’s raid, which took place at a seafood wholesale distributor in the city’s Ironbound neighborhood.

She told a reporter that her cousin has been working at the business for nearly three years. He is being held at the Elizabeth Detention Center in Union County.

“My primo is the sweetest, kindest, most hardworking person you’ll ever meet,” Jimenez said, adding that he “pays all his bills on time, has never gotten into any trouble and is the type of person to do just about everything right.” Read the full article here.

HOLDING ICE DETAINEES IN NEW JERSEY

Under a 2021 state law, all prisons in New Jersey – public or private – are banned from making new contracts with ICE to hold federal detainees. Prisons also can’t expand or renew old agreements.

But since then, both CoreCivic and GEO Group have challenged the law in court, and a judge ruled in 2023 that CoreCivic could keep its jail in Elizabeth open.

The Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark used to contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to hold ICE detainees. County officials ended their controversial deal with the feds in 2021 – but have since added inmates from Union County. Read More: Essex County Nixes ICE Jail Contract, But Some Feel ‘Gaslighted’

ICE and private prison companies are reportedly seeking to add more detention space in New Jersey, despite the state’s ban. Read More: ICE Plans Major Detention Facility Expansion In NJ

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