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.
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 forceand racial profiling. Federal immigration agents, including ICE personnel, have fatally shot at least three known U.S. citizens—Renée Good, Alex Pretti andRuben 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.
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 weeksafter ICE agents detained10 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 ofDelaney 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 ismoving 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.
Democratic Assemblyman RaviBhalla 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."
DemocraticAssemblywoman 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."
Source: Drudge Report
