The State of New Jersey said on Jan. 30 that the New Jersey Republican Party criticized Governor Mikie Sherrill’s policies, claiming they prevent local law enforcement from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest serious criminal noncitizens.
The issue centers on concerns raised by the GOP that such policies could lead to instability in the state. The party argued that restricting cooperation between local authorities and ICE risks undermining public safety.
“The New Jersey GOP stated that dangerous rhetoric and policy are coming from Governor Sherrill, sharing a clip from her Daily Show appearance where she said her administration would prohibit ICE raids from state properties and encourage residents to film ICE agents for a reporting portal. It noted that rather than allowing local law enforcement to work with ICE to arrest the worst offenders, she risks turning law and order into a dangerous spectacle that will only result in Minneapolis-style chaos in New Jersey. The party compared her approach to that of New York’s Tish James and California’s Gavin Newsom,” according to the <a href="https://x.com/NJGOP/status/2017246998953357611″>New Jersey GOP.
Recent data shows an increase in federal immigration enforcement activity in the state. “NJ Spotlight News reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have arrested 5,378 people in New Jersey since President Trump took office in January 2025, marking the ninth-highest total among states. This represents a significant increase from earlier figures, such as 3,201 arrests from January through July 2025. The data highlights intensified federal immigration enforcement in the region amid ongoing policy debates,” according to <a href="https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2025/12/ice-triples-number-of-people-detained-in-delaney-hall”>NJ Spotlight News.
Federal officials have also highlighted recent operations targeting high-priority offenders. “The Department of Homeland Security reported that over a weekend in January 2026, ICE arrested multiple serious offenders nationwide, including a registered sex offender from Peru convicted of aggravated criminal sexual contact in Essex County, New Jersey, as part of efforts to remove criminal noncitizens. These arrests targeted individuals convicted of murder, sexual assault of minors, and manufacturing fentanyl. The operations demonstrate continued focus on high-priority threats to community safety,” according to the <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/01/26/wowdhsgov-over-weekend-ice-arrests-more-worst-worst-murderers-pedophiles-and-drug”>Department of Homeland Security.
“The New Jersey Republican Party works to restore the American Dream in the Garden State by promoting principles of liberty and prosperity. Led by Chairwoman Christine Giordano Hanlon, the party supports Republican officials, engages grassroots leaders, and organizes events such as county Lincoln Day dinners. It addresses key issues like law enforcement cooperation and opposes policies that hinder federal immigration efforts,” according to the <a href="https://njgop.org/”>New Jersey Republican Party.
