115 nationals, including men from Guttenberg, North Bergen, arrested in N.J. ICE sweep

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 115 nationals wanted for crimes in their home countries, including two men from Guttenberg and North Bergen, respectively, as part of a New Jersey sweep “targeting at-large criminal aliens.”

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“The remarkable results of our officers and law enforcement partners highlight ICE’s ongoing commitment to public safety in the face of the New Jersey Attorney General’s Immigrant Trust Directive, which severely limits local and state law enforcement cooperation with ICE-ERO,” Newark Enforcement and Removal Operations Acting Field Office Director Ruben Perez said in a statement.

“This targeted enforcement action focuses on the arrest of individuals convicted of serious crimes and are a threat to public safety. Because of the targeted efforts of these professional officers, there are 115 fewer criminals in our communities.”

Out of the 115 foreign nationals arrested between January 27th and February 1st, 84 percent either had prior criminal convictions and/or pending criminal charges, the ICE Newark Office said yesterday.

In Hudson County, a 44-year-old Salvadoran national who has a conviction for the offense of endangering the welfare of a child, was detained in North Bergen, officials said, along with a a 40-year-old Mexican national who has convictions for child abuse, driving under the influence, and domestic violence. He was arrested in Guttenberg.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that they would be joining Cape May County and Ocean County challenge of the Immigrant Trust Initiative, which limits NJ’s law enforcement officers cooperation with ICE and other federal immigration authorities.

Grewal, who announced the directive at Jersey City’s Liberty State Park back in November 2018, said in response to the suit that the ITI “helps us protect public safety by ensuring that victims and witnesses come forward and report crimes to law enforcement without fear of deportation,” noting that they will settle this in court at the appropriate time.