If you have opened Instagram or any social media platform in the last few weeks, chances are you have encountered clips of ICE raids and arrests throughout the U.S. in Hudson County. Earlier this month, videos of ICE flooded social media feeds, and mayors from both Hoboken and Jersey City spoke out to protect their communities. New Jersey lawmakers introduced the Fight Unlawful Conduct and Keep Individuals and Communities Empowered Act, also referred to as the F*CK ICE bill. This bill was introduced after ICE visited the Hoboken and Jersey City area, where agents detained individuals without proper warrants, one going so far as to say, “I don’t need a warrant, bro. Stop getting that in your head, that’s it”. The document’s absence has been a complaint nationally, as people are being detained.
The Hudson County Executive, Craig Guy, issued an executive order to ban ICE, Customs, and Border Patrol from enforcement activities on Hudson County property; if they needed to proceed further, they would have to present a valid warrant. Tracey Tully from the New York Times claims this as a “dose of in-your-face Jersey attitude” in her article “New Jersey Democrats Send Coarse but Clear Message to ICE With New Bill,” as introducing this bill represents an unsubtle message. Guy shared a statement stating, “Hudson County is one of the most diverse counties in America, and we are proud of that diversity. This order ensures that our residents are safeguarded from harassment and threats.”
Hoboken Mayor Emily Jabbour stated that Hoboken will follow suit. According to the official Hoboken government website, Hoboken is known to be a “Fair and Welcoming City.” Ravinder Bhalla—former Hoboken mayor—signed an executive order in 2018, which was later passed in 2025, officially known as the Hoboken Trust Act. Hoboken City Council is strongly committed to ensuring safety among the community, alongside Katie Brennan, a Democrat from Jersey City, who claimed, “There have to be real consequences if ICE breaks the law.” The U.S. Department of Homeland Security gave negative backlash to the New Jersey legislation, claiming it is “disgusting, a bill meant to demonize our officers who are experiencing a highly coordinated campaign of violence.”New Jersey has the second-highest percentage of immigrants after California. Delaney Hall is a detention facility in Newark that holds up to 1,000 detainees, one of ICE’s largest facilities on the East Coast. Activists and faith leaders continue to protest nearly daily outside the center. Over 200 people stood in the rain on Ash Wednesday together in faith, praying over the detainees who passed away in ICE custody due to poor food, undrinkable water, and overall poor living conditions. Assemblyman Paul Kanitra, a republican and former Mayor of Point Pleasant Beach in New Jersey, shares his concern that “we appear to have gone from a society that peacefully protested, to one that now actively wants to interfere physically with law enforcement.” Criticizing the bill, describing it as “vulgar”. Others have shared similar sentiments regarding the bill. Despite its controversy, the act highlights NJ officials’ commitment to protecting their communities.
