Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman sharply criticized federal immigration enforcement after reports surfaced that ICE agents detained two Princeton residents, including a father of four, during what she described as a routine school drop-off in New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District.
According to Watson Coleman, the arrests underscore what she views as a pattern of aggressive enforcement tactics that do little to enhance public safety while inflicting lasting harm on families and communities. She said her office was inundated with calls, emails, and messages from constituents expressing anger and fear over the operation, which many residents perceived as an act of intimidation rather than law enforcement.
Watson Coleman argued that the incident reflects deeper systemic failures within Immigration and Customs Enforcement, contending that the agency’s actions frequently contradict its stated mission. Rather than targeting individuals who pose a genuine threat, she said, ICE operations increasingly ensnare peaceful, working families who have long been part of their local communities. In her view, this disconnect has eroded public trust and intensified anxiety across immigrant neighborhoods in central New Jersey.
The congresswoman also took aim at the broader rhetoric surrounding immigration enforcement, rejecting claims that such actions are narrowly focused on dangerous criminals or organized gangs. She said recent arrests belie that narrative and instead point to a strategy rooted in fear and spectacle, one that she believes has been openly acknowledged by administration officials as punitive in nature.
Watson Coleman reiterated her long-standing demand that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem halt what she described as unlawful raids and detentions. She said Noem’s refusal to change course, combined with what she characterized as chronic mismanagement within DHS, compelled her to join fellow lawmakers in formally calling for impeachment proceedings. Legislative responses and oversight efforts tied to these concerns continue to move through Congress and are closely followed within New Jersey’s evolving landscape of immigration policy and federal legislation.
Aligning herself with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Watson Coleman urged Americans who prioritize community safety and civil liberties to speak out against what she labeled illegal conduct by ICE and DHS. She emphasized that any demonstrations should remain peaceful but unmistakably vocal, encouraging residents to document enforcement actions and preserve evidence. Watson Coleman concluded that public vigilance and sustained opposition are essential, asserting that accountability will ultimately come for those who violate constitutional rights and disrupt families under the guise of enforcement.
