The Department of Homeland Security on Thursday, May 29 released a long list of sanctuary cities “that obstruct the enforcement of Federal immigration laws (sanctuary jurisdictions),” including South Orange and Maplewood, along with 16 other New Jersey towns and three counties.
“DHS demands that these jurisdictions immediately review and revise their policies to align with Federal immigration laws and renew their obligation to protect American citizens, not dangerous illegal aliens,” the release on the Homeland Security website reads, noting that the cities will all receive notification of their non-compliance with federal law and President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order 14287.
On Friday, May 30, South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum and Maplewood Mayor Nancy Adams responded on social media in Facebook posts that the towns would be standing firm in their sanctuary city status.
“The U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court have been clear that the federal government may not commandeer state or local resources to implement federal programs. Period,” Collum wrote on her Facebook page. “This nonsense is meant to distract you from the fact that over 300,000 people on Medicaid will lose their health insurance in New Jersey with the bill that passed in the House (215-214) and that the Trump Administration is working overtime to scrap programs that help working families while providing tax cuts to the rich. This is not new; it’s who he is.”
Collum said the Village’s designation as a Sanctuary City, specifies the following:
- No Village services are conditioned on someone’s immigration status.
- The Village doesn’t profile people or report them solely based on religion, race, ethnicity, national origin, or immigration status.
- South Orange Police Department’s overriding mission is to serve, protect, and enforce state and local laws, not federal immigration policies.
“We’re not ‘voluntarily’ entering into any contracts with the federal government to augment their staff. We’re busy enough,” Collum said. “In short, we’re not your friggin’ dance partner. Find someone else.”
Mayor Adams also took to Facebook to let people know that the Homeland Security’s move represents “a direct challenge to constitutional principles — particularly the separation of powers, the rule of law and even the very concept of states’ rights that many federal leaders have previously championed.”
She noted that there is no legal definition of “Sanctuary City” and it merely reflects local policy decisions, such as Maplewood’s decision not to allow local law enforcement to assist federal immigration authorities without a warrant.
“These policies are not only lawful but have been reviewed and supported by the New Jersey Attorney General. Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor any federal agency has the authority to compel municipalities like Maplewood to abandon our values or rewrite our local laws,” she wrote in her post. “I was reminded on a recent call with other New Jersey elected officials, the ACLU-NJ, and the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice that our state’s policies — and Maplewood’s — are grounded in constitutional law and human rights. We are proud to be part of a state that protects all its residents and ensures local law enforcement remains focused on public safety, not federal immigration enforcement.”
She also urged all residents to “stay calm, stay informed, and stand firm in our community’s values. Maplewood will continue to uphold the law—and our principles of fairness, dignity, and inclusion for all who call our town home.”
Collum said she would be meeting with meeting South Orange leaders and some state organizations on Friday and “reaching out to fellow mayors on the list to see if there are opportunities to work together.”
Then she had a message for the New Jersey Legislature: “Please pass the damn Immigrant Trust Act already!” she wrote. “Show us some real leadership.”
New Jersey towns on the Department Homeland Security listed as of Friday, May 30, are Asbury Park, Bloomfield, Camden, East Orange, Hoboken, Jersey City, Leonia, Linden, Maplewood, Montclair Township, Newark, North Bergen, Paterson, Plainfield, Prospect Park, South Orange, Trenton and Union City. The counties singled out are Burlington, Cumberland and Warren counties.
