ICE Officers in New Jersey Unlawfully Detaining Americans: A Growing Concern
Recently, there has been debate regarding whether U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers should be allowed to wear masks while on duty. Those who support mask wearing cite the dangerous nature of the job and the targeting of the families of ICE agents, which is why the practice is so important and necessary. Opponents say that the optics are bad and will lead to further tension and violence in communities that ICE has targeted for identifying illegal foreign nationals to be deported.
Still, despite ICE continuing to proclaim that their primary mandate is to enforce the country’s immigration laws specifically for those undocumented immigrants who pose the biggest threat to public safety, American citizens who have been caught in the crosshairs of enforcement operations feel very differently.
Across the country, there have been instances where ICE officials have harassed and even detained American citizens unfairly and unlawfully as they carry out orders to find people who are residing in the country illegally. There have been numerous reports in New Jersey alone, where Americans have had their civil liberties violated by ICE agents’ aggressive actions. If you were harmed by the misconduct of ICE as an American citizen living in New Jersey, then you can, and should, speak with a civil rights attorney at Monaco Law PC.
New Jersey Residents Experiencing Aggression with ICE Officers
ICE may be overstepping its authority with its efforts to find undocumented immigrants during instances where the wrongful detainment of individuals who are citizens of the country have taken place. In doing so, serious questions are being raised by local activists and residents in communities across the Garden State who feel that the lack of due process and arbitrary identification methods the agency is implementing are doing more harm than good.
For example, it has been reported that a 32-year-old Newark man was stopped by ICE after he left a local store. He showed the officers his passport and proof of identity, but despite this, the man was detained for hours with no explanation as to why. He was finally released once his lawyer intervened.
Another instance involved a Hispanic man, a U.S. citizen, who ICE apprehended outside of his home. ICE believed that the man was undocumented, and they detained him for hours as well, before finally confirming his citizenship. The whole ordeal was emotionally stressful and traumatizing.
These two cases illustrate instances where ICE agents have detained U.S. citizens in New Jersey for simply looking a certain way, and who happen to be in areas with high immigrant populations. The reality is that there are many more documented cases where Americans have suffered similar fates at the hands of ICE.
Speak to a New Jersey and Pennsylvania Civil Rights Attorney Today
Please call our civil rights lawyer at Monaco Law PC at (609) 277-3166 for our New Jersey office and (215) 546-3166 for our Pennsylvania office to discuss your case today.
We are a New Jersey and Pennsylvania law firm serving Atlantic County, Bucks County, Burlington County, Cape May County, Camden County, Chester County, Cumberland County, Delaware County, Gloucester County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Philadelphia, Ocean County, Salem County, Susquehanna County and all of New Jersey.
