Democratic lawmakers in the New Jersey General Assembly have introduced legislation titled the Fight Unlawful Conduct and Keep Individuals and Communities Empowered Act, whose acronym spells out an unsubtle message.
The F*** ICE Act could establish a state-level civil cause of action, allowing individuals to sue over alleged violations of constitutional rights arising from federal immigration enforcement activity.
Why It Matters
ICE, which operates under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security, has faced mounting allegations of misconduct, including claims of overly aggressive tactics, excessive use of force and racial profiling. Federal immigration agents, including ICE personnel, have fatally shot at least three known U.S. citizens—Renée Good, Alex Pretti and Ruben Ray Martinez—during enforcement operations since President Donald Trump returned to the White House.
The proposed legislation highlights the heightened debate around federal immigration enforcement and local oversight.
What To Know
The bill is sponsored by Assemblymembers Katie Brennan and Ravi Bhalla. The legislation would permit individuals to bring civil actions in state court over alleged violations of the U.S. Constitution in connection with immigration enforcement operations. Supporters say the measure is designed to increase accountability and strengthen protections for immigrant communities.
Legislators have introduced a serious package of bills that seeks to limit federal immigration enforcement activities and reduce cooperation between state and federal authorities. The package includes proposals to bar former federal immigration agents from public employment in New Jersey, to impose a tax on private detention facilities that contract with the federal government and to restrict federal agents’ ability to operate at state and local crime scenes. Another bill in the package would prohibit the use of state‑owned property as staging areas for federal immigration operations.
Lawmakers introduced the legislation less than two weeks after ICE agents detained 10 people outside a light rail station on the Hoboken-Jersey City border, according to state Democrats.
New Jersey has become a focal point for immigration activism, partly because of Delaney Hall in Newark, a privately run detention facility holding up to 1,000 migrants for ICE. The facility drew criticism over alleged permitting and safety issues. In May 2025, Mayor Ras Baraka, a Democrat, was briefly charged with trespassing during a visit, but the charges were later dropped. Democratic Representative LaMonica McIver was also charged with assaulting federal officers during the same incident, and her case is moving toward trial.
In January, Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill issued an executive order preventing ICE officials from using state property for enforcement actions and encouraged residents to submit videos of any interactions with immigration agents through an online reporting portal.
What People Are Saying
Democratic Assemblyman Ravi Bhalla said in a news release: “ICE has no place in our communities. When I was elected Mayor of Hoboken, one of my first acts was passing a strong sanctuary city ordinance. Now, the stakes are even higher, and it is incumbent on all of us to use the power we have to keep our residents safe. These bills help our local law enforcement do their jobs properly while giving the state more tools to stop these raids from happening in the first place.”
Democratic Assemblywoman Alixon Collazos-Gill said in the news release: “We are using every tool available at the state level to protect due process, uphold human rights, and ensure accountability. I stand firmly with our immigrant neighbors in interest of their safety, dignity, and rights.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement: “Politicians are laying blame at the feet of law enforcement instead of looking in the mirror at how they have fueled the hatred and violent attacks we are seeing against federal law enforcement officers.”
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