In November 2018, the State of New Jersey issued new rules designed to strengthen trust between law enforcement officers and immigrant communities. The rules limit the types of assistance that New Jersey state and local law enforcement officers may provide to federal immigration authorities, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
For example, under the new rules, a New Jersey police officer may not stop, question, arrest, search, or detain an individual simply because the officer thinks that the individual might be undocumented. In addition, police officers cannot ask about an individual’s immigration status except in the rare cases when that information is relevant to a specific criminal investigation.
One of the purposes of the new rules is to ensure that all New Jersey residents, including immigrants, feel safe interacting with state and local police officers. These rules ensure that victims and witnesses can report crimes to law enforcement without fear that they will be turned over to federal immigration authorities.
To report a crime or emergency call 911.
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office will be hosting events across New Jersey to educate the public about the new rules. For dates and locations, click here.
Please note: The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office cannot provide legal advice to New Jersey residents. If you have a question about your immigration status, you should speak to a lawyer. For a list of organizations that provide free legal immigration services in New Jersey, click here.