West Orange Advocates Want To Limit ICE Cooperation In The Township

WEST ORANGE, NJ — A group of West Orange residents is pitching a proposal to the town council involving ICE and more local protections for immigrants.

Members of West Orange Aiding Neighbors (WOAN) – a group of residents who advocate for “vulnerable people” in the town – are pushing the council to pass a resolution modeled after the statewide Immigrant Trust Act, which places limits on how local police can assist ICE or other federal immigration enforcement agencies during raids and investigations.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill recently signed the bill into law along with two others involving immigration enforcement.

The WOAN’s proposal includes:

• Regulation of Township-Owned Property – “Township property shall be used for its intended municipal purposes and shall not be used as a staging location, processing site, or operational base for civil immigration enforcement activities absent a valid judicial warrant or court order where required by law.”
• Designation of Safe Access to Public Services – “The township shall clearly identify and maintain designated private administrative areas within municipal facilities, including schools, libraries, and other public buildings, that are not open to the general public. These designated areas shall be treated as protected zones, and access by outside law enforcement agencies for civil immigration enforcement purposes shall require a valid judicial warrant or court order where required by law.”
• Data Privacy Protections – “The township shall limit the collection, retention, and sharing of personal information related to immigration status except as required by law.”
• Transparency and Reporting Requirements – “The township shall publicly report, on a timely basis, any immigration enforcement activities reported to the township or otherwise known to municipal officials occurring within municipal boundaries, including the date, location, and nature of the activity to the extent permitted by law.”

The proposal found a supporter in town councilwoman Joyce Rudin, who brought it up as new business at the council’s April 14 meeting.

“Some on the council feel that West Orange is an island with no connection to things that go on beyond our township limits,” Rudin wrote after the meeting. “But the reality is that our country and our community is facing a crisis.”

“ICE agents have detained our residents, conducted dangerous car chases through our streets, and left families afraid to venture out of their homes,” Rudin continued. “With the urging of residents, I proposed that we introduce a resolution creating ICE-free zones on municipal properties to allow our residents safe access to our town’s services. Our civil society is at risk and this affects all of us.”

It isn’t clear when – or if – the proposal will see a vote or public hearing.

Several members of the group spoke in favor of the proposed resolution at the meeting.

A resident of Forest Hill Road read a list of ICE-related incidents from the past four months that allegedly involved people from West Orange. He cited incidents on Virginia Avenue and Valley Street, as well as reports of ICE agents trying to access private apartment buildings.

“We have learned about these incidents through informal channels, not through any official reporting by the town,” he said.

Another member of the group pointed to a large percentage of foreign-born residents in the township, including a significant Haitian community.

Later, another member invited people to attend a recurring anti-ICE protest that has been taking place weekly from noon to 1 p.m. on Sundays outside Codey Arena.

Councilwoman Tammy Williams said she has received “many calls” about an incident involving ICE on Dec. 9, and she is in “absolute agreement” that such incidents have had a local impact on residents.

“What we know is that this fear is real,” Williams said.

Watch footage from the April 14 meeting below (video is cued to the presentation at the 59:36 mark):

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.