ICE Disputes Account Of Child Being Questioned In Bergen County

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — After rumors spread in Bergen County last week about local Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, a spokesperson for the agency disputed a claim that a child was "taken" in Teaneck.

Bergen County residents posted on social media last week that ICE agents had been seen in Teaneck recently.

Teaneck Mayor Mark Schwartz, Police Chief Andrew McGurr, and other local officials sent a letter out on Friday confirming that ICE agents were in Teaneck on Jan. 24, but were not specific about their operations.

"This was not the first time they have been in town and may not be the last," officials said in the Friday letter. "The Teaneck Police Department has, and continues to, abide by the NJ Office of the Attorney General Directive No. 2018-6 v2.2, Immigrant Trust Directive, when dealing with ICE or members of immigrant communities."

The state directive says that with certain exceptions, police in New Jersey can't provide ICE with access to state or local law enforcement resources, and can't question people solely based on immigration status.

At a council meeting last Tuesday, Schwartz said that police had received calls on Jan. 24 about "suspicious activity" on Garden Street. Police headed to the scene and encountered ICE agents. Schwartz said the police went on their way after they confirmed the agents' identities.

Police were later called again to the corner of Garden Street and Teaneck Road, where a small protest had gathered, Schwartz told the council. Nothing concerning occurred, Schwartz said (you can watch his comments at the meeting here)

Was A Student Questioned?

Local officials didn't give out more information about ICE's recent presence in Teaneck, but a NJ.com report on Sunday said a student and her uncle were questioned by ICE agents on the way to school last week.

The report said said the man was let go after agents determined he was a U.S. citizen.

A spokesperson for the Teaneck police, Seth Kriegel, told Patch on Monday that police had not yet confirmed whether ICE was in town on Thursday. He said police were not made aware of federal activity in town that day.

One post on Facebook from Thursday said, "Reports are coming in that a little girl was taken by ICE from her bus stop on Garden St this morning. I’m attempting to verify."

Questioned, Not Detained

What actually happened, said a letter from the school district on Thursday, was that ICE did indeed stop the pair. They questioned them, but they ultimately didn't detain them.

A Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman said, "No child was taken. No one was arrested. Misinformation and baseless accusations like these are part of a deliberate smear campaign by individuals seeking to spread fear and confusion. Such false narratives have contributed to a dramatic increase — over 1,300 percent — in assaults on ICE officers."

The school district's letter said, "Specifically, ICE officials encountered an adult and child as they were on the way to school. The incident did not occur on Teaneck school district property. The adult was not ultimately detained and the child reported safely to school."

The letter notes, "We recognize that reports of this nature can be unsettling, and we encourage families to rely on official district communications for accurate information. If families are interested in providing support to families in need, please do not hesitate to contact your building principal."

Recent reports in national media about children in detention centers have added to officials' concerns.

The Democratic Committee in the nearby town of Glen Rock issued a statement Monday saying, "We are aware of recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions taking place in communities across New Jersey and throughout the country. These actions have created fear, uncertainty, and heartbreak for many families, including right here in Bergen County...

"In the words of the federal judge who ordered the release of young Liam, the five year old in a bunny hat, we are facing 'the perfidious lust for unbridled power and the imposition of cruelty in its quest.' ... We oppose locking up journalists to intimidate the press. We also recognize that ICE has targeted black and brown people, regardless of their immigration or citizenship status."

Local Response

This past weekend, ICE was seen in both Jersey City and New Brunswick. READ MORE: 10 People Taken By ICE In Operation Near Jersey City/Hoboken Border

North Jersey news outlets reported last month that ICE arrested a Morris County teenager, who was later released, and nabbed a father who was watching over his 6-year-old daughter.

Concerns have ramped up after the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens by ICE during protests in Minnesota.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who represents Bergen County, said he will introduce the "ICE Standards Act," to require bodyworn cameras, strict training, and other requirements for federal law enforcement agents.

"I believe that you can have tough borders, keep the gang members, terrorists, and other criminals out," Gottheimer said, "and still live up to our values, offering the promise of our democracy to newcomers looking to achieve that same American dream our families did."