Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
Assemblywoman ELLEN J. PARK
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Requires law enforcement officer to report to AG certain unlawful conduct by federal immigration agent or other law enforcement officer.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning reporting of certain unlawful conduct by law enforcement officers and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this act:
“Federal immigration authority” means an agency of the United States government responsible for implementing or enforcing federal immigration law including, but not limited to, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, United States Customs and Border Protection, and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services within the Department of Homeland Security.
“Law enforcement officer” means any person who is employed as a sworn member of any State, county, or municipal law enforcement agency, department, division, or instrumentality of those governments who is statutorily empowered to act for the detection, investigation, arrest, conviction, detention, or rehabilitation of persons violating the criminal, civil, or administrative laws of the United States or this State.
b. Notwithstanding and in addition to any other reporting requirements set forth in law, regulation, or policy, a law enforcement officer who observes any of the following actions committed by an agent or employee of a federal immigration authority or by any other law enforcement officer as defined by subsection a. of this section shall within 24 hours report the action to the Attorney General:
(1) unjustifiable use of force, pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.2C:3-7;
(2) deprivation of civil rights, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2003, c.31 (C.2C:30-6); or
(3) any other act which constitutes a criminal offense in this State.
c. The Attorney General shall, within 24 hours of receiving the report, take appropriate civil, criminal, or administrative legal action as shall be necessary against the employee or agent of the federal immigration authority or law enforcement officer.
2. This act shall take immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that, in addition to any other reporting requirements set forth in law, regulation, or policy, a law enforcement officer who observes certain unlawful actions committed by an agent or employee of a federal immigration authority or any other law enforcement officer would be required to report the action to the Attorney General within 24 hours. Those unlawful actions are the unjustifiable use of force, deprivation of civil rights, or any other act that constitutes a criminal offense in this State.
The bill requires the Attorney General within 24 hours of receiving the report to take appropriate civil, criminal, or administrative legal action as necessary against the employee or agent of the federal immigration authority or law enforcement officer.