Federal immigration agents have access to public portions of Princeton’s municipally-owned and municipally-controlled properties, but they will not have unfettered access to non-public areas of those properties.
The Princeton Council has drawn a line in the sand that bars federal agents from non-public areas of those buildings for federal civil immigration enforcement – unless they have a judicial order or judicial warrant to apprehend a wanted person.
That line was clearly demarcated in a resolution adopted by the Princeton Council at its Sept. 28 meeting. It stated that the ban applies to agents of the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection and similar agencies.
The resolution mirrors an executive order issued by Gov. Mikie Sherrill in February that also disallows federal immigration officers from access to non-public areas of state property to enforce civil immigration law, unless they have a judicial order or judicial warrant.
A judicial warrant, which is issued by a court and signed by a judge, gives permission to enter private spaces. A judicial order also is issued by a court.
The Princeton Council’s resolution states that municipally-owned and municipally-controlled buildings, facilities or properties may not be used as staging areas, processing locations, operations bases or similar use by federal agents.
Those properties and resources are intended to serve Princeton residents and the community, and may not be commandeered by federal agents to carry out federal civil immigration enforcement, the resolution said.
All residents should be able to access municipal services, public programs and community resources without unnecessary fear or confusion about their rights or responsibilities, it said.
Princeton Councilwoman Leticia Fraga said that she and Princeton Councilman Leighton Newlin wanted to explore a policy regulating the use of municipal property in connection with federal civil immigration law enforcement – and the result was the resolution.
“Princeton thrives on the diversity built by generations of residents from various backgrounds. We are firmly committed to protecting the safety, security and legal rights of all of our residents, irrespective of immigration status,” Fraga said.
“This resolution reaffirms our dedication to fostering a dignified community where everyone can lives, work and access services while upholding public safety, encouraging law enforcement cooperation, building trust and respecting constitutional rights,” she said.
The resolution also states that the 2018 Attorney General’s Directive – also known as the Immigrant Trust Directive – promotes public safety and strengthens trust in law enforcement by distinguishing between state and local law enforcement and civil immigration enforcement.
Finally, the resolution also refers to the Safe Communities Act, which became law in January. The state Attorney General must develop model policies to ensure personal freedom in sensitive areas – from courthouses, health care facilities, public schools, domestic violence and emergency shelters, food pantries to social services offices.
Mayor Mark Freda agreed that one of the critical parts of the resolution is control over federal agents’ access to non-public areas without judicial warrants or judicial orders.
“Immigration ICE people working on immigration matters could not just wander into any properties owned by the town without legal authority, which is pretty important,” Freda said.
