New Jersey’s Democrat governor has instructed law enforcement across the state to cease cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The directive was issued jointly by Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matt Platkin and aligns with the state’s Immigrant Trust Directive, Shore News Network reported.
Murphy’s decision came shortly after the Trump administration added 27,000 “Outstanding Administrative Warrants for Removal from the United States” to the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC), in line with the former president’s immigration enforcement agenda.
“These Administrative Warrant messages appear in NCIC in a method that ALL members are to note they are NOT to be broadcast as ‘NCIC Hits,’” wrote Colonel Patrick Callahan of the New Jersey State Police in a department-wide internal memo. “NJDSP members are NOT permitted to contact ICE via the phone numbers provided.”
However, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Alina Habba, pushed back, voicing her disapproval on X and issuing a stern reminder to state officials. “Let me be clear: Executive Orders will be followed and enforced in the State of New Jersey.”
Callahan’s directive reinforces the stipulations of New Jersey’s 2018 Immigrant Trust Directive, which restricts state police from assisting federal immigration enforcement bodies.
He further clarified that even when officers encounter individuals flagged on the list during routine policing, they are still barred from alerting ICE, as compliance with NCIC warrants in these situations violates state policy.
Callahan wrote in the memo: “A sample of how these Administrative Warrant messages appear in NCIC is attached. ALL members must be aware they are NOT to be broadcast as ‘NCIC Hits,’ which would lead our members to believe they are required to arrest the subject. As the Attorney General’s Immigrant Trust Directive outlines, we are NOT to arrest subjects on the ‘Outstanding Administrative Warrant’ entries, even if no other entries are provided. Also, upon receiving notification of an ‘Outstanding Administrative Warrant,’ NJSP members are NOT permitted to contact ICE via the phone numbers provided.”
He added: “Members of PSTS must pay particular attention to the wording of ‘Outstanding Administrative Warrant’ in the NCIC message so they adhere to the Attorney General’s Directive 2018-6.”
The memo concluded with a final warning: “Taking law enforcement action by arresting a subject based solely on an ‘Outstanding Administrative Warrant’ would violate the Attorney General’s Immigration Trust Directive referenced above.”
{Matzav.com}