Sheriff adds voice, stating measures handcuff agency
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE — In March, Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed three bills related to the 2018 Immigrant Trust Directive. The bills limit state and local law enforcement agencies from cooperating with federal immigration authorities, supporting them in immigration raids and prohibiting law enforcement officials from wearing masks while interacting with the public.
Last week, the Cape May County Board of Commissioners formally opposed the three bills Sherrill signed into law, arguing they are not in the best interest of police or citizens.
According to the New Jersey Legislature, Bill A4071 codifies the Attorney General’s directive, “Strengthening trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities.” Bill A4070 Aa (1R) establishes the “privacy protection act” on collecting and sharing specific personal information. Bill S3114/3216 Scs requires law enforcement officers to reveal their facial identity and to present sufficient identification before arresting or detaining a person. The bills also prevent law enforcement from sharing a person’s immigrant status without a warrant.
In March when she signed the bills into law, Sherrill defended them.
“These bills underscore that here in New Jersey, we still follow the Constitution and uphold the rule of law. My focus as governor remains on keeping the public safe. As we’ve seen across the country, Donald Trump’s untrained, unaccountable, masked ICE agents are putting people in danger,” Sherrill said. “That’s why in New Jersey, we are protecting our communities — strengthening our protections, banning ICE agents from wearing masks and protecting residents’ privacy from federal overreach.”
Since early 2025 under the Trump Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has made it a priority to target, arrest and deport undocumented immigrants across the country. Some of the tactics of the agency have been controversial, including who has been targeted and the use of masked federal officers. Two U.S. citizens were shot and killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis, Minn., in January.
“These laws create uncertainty for the men and women who protect our communities every day,” Board of Commissioners Director Leonard Desiderio stated in a news release issued Aug. 26, the day after the commission took the formal action. “When communication, coordination and information-sharing with federal partners are restricted, we put both public safety and the safety of our first responders at risk. Immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility under the Constitution.
“State policies that obstruct legitimate cooperation invite costly litigation, undermine consistent enforcement and ultimately give sanctuary to those who threaten our communities. Cape May County stands with our law enforcement officers and with the rule of law. We urge the governor and the Legislature to repeal these measures promptly and to take decisive action to safeguard the integrity of our elections,” Desiderio wrote.
“Law enforcement works best when agencies can communicate and coordinate without artificial barriers,” Sheriff Robert A. Nolan stated in the news release. “These state restrictions force local officers to operate with one hand tied behind their backs. They complicate our ability to share critical information, protect officer safety in the field and remove dangerous individuals who pose a clear threat to the public.”
Nolan added that he does not support sanctuary policies, a position he has taken for years.
“Our job is to keep Cape May County residents safe by targeting anyone who commits a serious crime. To best protect the public, we must work closely with our federal partners. Until these laws are changed or repealed, our ability to do that job effectively remains limited. I thank the Board of Commissioners for standing with the men and women in law enforcement,” Nolan offered.
Commissioners backed up their position by citing federal lawsuits filed against New Jersey since March 2026 challenging aspects of the state’s approach and what it called “violent unrest and disorder” outside the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark.
There have been multiple protests at the ICE facility, including one in late May at which protesters were complaining about the conditions of a few hundred immigrants detained there. New Jersey’s U.S. Sen. Andy Kim was pepper sprayed by ICE officers during the protest after he tried to de-escalate tensions between law enforcement and protesters. He had been inside the facility to speak with detainees and check on conditions.
Gov. Sherrill also joined protesters outside Delaney Hall calling for detainees to be treated with dignity.
The Department of Homeland Security has defended ICE actions at Delaney Hall in the aftermath of the protest.
“Public safety is not a partisan issue,” Commissioner Bobby Barr added in the release. “The residents of Cape May County expect their government to prioritize the safety of law-abiding citizens and the officers who serve them. We will continue to advocate for policies that uphold the Constitution, protect our communities and restore confidence in the integrity of our elections.”
In the resolution, commissioners noted the voter-registration failure in which some 6,600 non-citizens were registered to vote and that some 75,000 noncitizens are summoned for jury duty in New Jersey each year. The Board of Commissioners calls for a transparent investigation into the scope and causes of the voter-roll problems, suspension of automatic Motor Vehicle Commission registrations until safeguards are strengthened, implementation of a mandatory voter ID requirement, full cooperation with federal authorities and public reporting of remedial measures, according to the release.
– By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
