Sponsored by:
Assemblyman GREGORY E. MYHRE
District 9 (Ocean)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen DePhillips, Auth, McClellan and Assemblywoman Fantasia
SYNOPSIS
Lifts ban on State and local law enforcement cooperation with federal civil immigration authorities and creates fund to support cooperation; makes an appropriation; repeals section 3 of P.L.2026, c.5.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning immigration-related police practices, supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes, making an appropriation, and repealing section 3 of P.L.2026, c.5.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established in the Department of Law and Public Safety a grant program titled the “New Jersey Law Enforcement ICE Cooperation Grant.” The purpose of the grant program is to protect the residents of New Jersey by supporting law enforcement entities entering into, renewing, or expanding federal agreements under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. s.1357(g). Application to the grant program shall be made on forms and pursuant to procedures prescribed by the department.
b. The department shall annually submit a report evaluating the implementation and operation of the grant program to the Governor and, pursuant to the provisions of section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature by December 1 for the prior fiscal year. The report shall include a recommendation as to whether the grant program should be continued or expanded.
2. The Legislature may appropriate such funds as may be necessary for the implementation of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
3. Section 3 of P.L.2026, c.5 (C.52:17B-236.16) is repealed.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill repeals current law governing immigration-related police practices, including lifting the ban on State and local law enforcement cooperation with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and establishes the “New Jersey Law Enforcement ICE Cooperation Grant” program.
Recently enacted statutory law specifically prohibits State, county, and municipal law enforcement officers from engaging in conduct constituting racially-influenced policing; stopping, questioning, arresting, searching, or detaining a person based solely on actual or suspected citizenship or immigration status or actual or suspected violations of federal civil immigration law; and inquiring about a person’s immigration status. These law enforcement officers also are prohibited from providing certain types of assistance to federal immigration authorities when the sole purpose is to enforce federal civil immigration law. Further, these officers are prohibited from entering into, modifying, renewing, or extending any agreement to exercise federal immigration authority pursuant to Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and from exercising any law enforcement authority pursuant to a preexisting section 287(g) agreement. This bill repeals these immigration-related prohibitions on law enforcement officers.
Additionally, the bill establishes the “New Jersey Law Enforcement ICE Cooperation Grants” to be administered by the Department of Law and Public Safety. The grant program is established to support State, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies entering into, renewing, or expanding federal agreements under Section 287(g). The bill requires an annual report to be submitted to the Governor and Legislature regarding the grant program.
Funding for the “New Jersey Law Enforcement ICE Cooperation Grant” program is to be appropriated by the Legislature as may be necessary for its implementation.
It is the sponsor’s intent to encourage law enforcement to work together with the federal government on immigration matters to ensure the safety of New Jersey residents.