Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea (D-2), a candidate for Jersey City mayor, is expressing concerns about recent raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), pointing out that he voted against renewing their county jail contract in 2020.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Just a few short days into the new Trump administration it appears that many of our fears are already being realized, with reports of ICE agents indiscriminately arresting people and causing widespread fear and unrest,” O’Dea said in a statement.
“This is exactly why I was one of the only elected officials in Hudson County who opposed the ICE contract renewal with county government, because it did not align with our values here in the most diverse city in the country.”
The infamous ICE contract with the county jail received a new deal in November 2020 after a 6-3 vote by the board commissioners after nine hours of public comment opposing the move.
Then-Commissioner Joel Torres (D-4), Commissioner Fanny Cedeno (D-6), and O’Dea voted no.
The county ended up phasing out the contract well before it was set to expire at the end of 2021.
As far as the recent ICE raids, including one law enforcement action in West New York, O’Dea raised concerns about the approach of the second administration of President Donald Trump (R).
“We can all agree that violent criminals who are undocumented immigrants should be subject to immigration enforcement. However, Trump’s unconstitutional Executive Order targeting birthright citizenship and the early reports of ICE agents threatening U.S. citizens and even young children in schools are cause for major concern,” he further stated.
“I want all residents of our city to feel welcome and safe and I will do everything in my power to make sure residents are aware of their rights, that legal counsel is available to law abiding immigrants facing deportation, and that we pressure the federal government to respect the rule of law and due process while exercising some degree of restraint and humanity in their actions.”
Despite some claims to the contrary on social media and beyond, there have been no targeted enforcement actions by ICE in Jersey City thus far.
O’Dea is running in a field of five in the non-partisan November 4th mayoral race and is the first one to speak out against ICE.
His opponents are former Gov. Jim McGreevey, Council President Joyce Watterman, Ward E Councilman James Solomon, and ex-Board of Education President Mussab Ali.
Values? We live in Hudson County….
You Opose ICE For Reasin You Har Parasait Low Life live On Criminal On Illegal Emigrant On Drug Trafficai can’t Drug LOURD You Har Not Tax Payer You Har One Off Living Illegal On U.S.A.. & SLEVER GARBAGE Like 80% Off You CITY
Are you having a stroke or are you such an enraged bigot that flying spittle is making your fingers slip off the keyboard as you type?
Dear Bill, if you are a criminal here illegally, then yes, you should live in fear of being send back. That law been on the books for over a century now. What is you problem?
One week, and what a difference.
He did say that. Read much?
Jersey City and Hudson County residents always complain about high taxes and crimes and if local officials don’t want law and order and want the whole planet to come to Hudson County and break federal laws and other laws then the people need to vote them out. This is wrong and unsustainable. You look at Chicago and Southside which is mostly made up of African Americas and Hispanics, the many people over that area demanded for Trump, ICE, FBI, and other federal agents to remove illegal aliens and criminals whether foreign national or American because the people of Chicago had enough of the crimes, murder, theft, rape, muggings, litter, and other problems. The Democrat Party in Chicago along with the lying media are calling these people as racist, bad, and more because they want law and order. The Democratic Party needs to be voted out in Chicago, Jersey City, Union, and others that ruined our area with high taxes and crimes and telling residents to keep paying for illegal aliens and accept crimes and wrongdoing as acceptable. The Democratic Party don’t care about Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and others, they only care about votes and using and lying the Minority votes and dumping them after getting elected. I will not vote Democratic Party this November as a Minority person living in Hudson County. I want law and order and clean and safe city. I want living costs from owning a home or getting an apartment affordable and able to afford food, gas, and more. I don’t want to be told by the Democrats that me and others need to foot the high taxes and the problems created by illegals. I will not vote Democrat and will encourage others to do the same. Stand Up Against the Democrats and Vote Them Out this November. Start now and tell everyone to vote them out.