Bill > A2653

Introduced Session

This bill is intended to make certain that State and local officials in New Jersey cooperate with federal authorities with respect to immigration and customs enforcement requests. The bill prohibits counties and municipalities from establishing formal or informal policies of non-cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Several jurisdictions, such as California, have established a formal prohibition on cooperation with federal authorities on immigration issues. In San Francisco, a young woman named Kate Steinle was brutally murdered by an individual who intentionally committed the crime in San Francisco because it had designated itself a sanctuary city. Other jurisdictions, such as certain municipalities in New Jersey, have an informal practice of not cooperating with requests from the federal government regarding immigration matters. This bill is intended to prevent the State, municipalities, or any subdivision thereof, from establishing a formal or informal "sanctuary city" policy, which has led to recent violent crimes around the country. Under this bill, a State or local official who fails to cooperate with federal authorities with respect to immigration enforcement will be committing an ethics violation. The regular process for the disposition of ethics violations at the State or local level will be applicable to these situations. The bill also creates a civil fine for any member of a municipal or county governing body which votes in favor of a sanctuary city ordinance after the effective date of the bill.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Parker Space (R)*,  Harold Wirths (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee (on 02/14/2022)

Official Document