As fear spreads through mile-square Hoboken and neighboring cities, local leaders push sweeping state legislation to curb cooperation with federal immigration raids
HOBOKEN — The mayor of Hoboken delivered a sharp rebuke of recent federal immigration enforcement activity this week, warning that expanded Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations are “not making our community safer” and are instead driving fear into classrooms, neighborhoods, and civic life across North Jersey.
In a city barely one square mile in size, the impact has been immediate and deeply personal. Families are quietly adjusting their daily routines. Students who once walked to school with friends now wait for rides or stay home when no adult is available to accompany them. Community gatherings that typically draw packed rooms — cultural celebrations, nonprofit meetings, and local business events — are reporting visible drops in attendance.
“This is what public safety looks like when trust collapses,” the Hoboken mayor said in a statement circulated among local officials. “You don’t create security by pushing families into hiding.”
The concerns are not isolated to Hoboken. Leaders in Newark and Jersey City have joined the call for urgent statewide action following recent enforcement sweeps that advocates say were carried out with little advance notice and in close proximity to schools, transit hubs, and densely populated residential areas.
The mayors of both cities are urging Governor Mikie Sherrill and state lawmakers to fast-track comprehensive state-level legislation that would prohibit state and local agencies from participating in, assisting with, or facilitating federal immigration enforcement operations except where required by law.
Local officials argue that current policies leave too much ambiguity for municipal departments, school administrators, and public safety agencies, creating confusion that can undermine both community trust and operational clarity.
“This is about defining clear boundaries,” one senior municipal official said. “New Jersey cities should not be placed in a position where routine public services become intertwined with federal immigration enforcement.”
In Hoboken, a compact and walkable city where nearly every block is densely populated, the ripple effects of fear have been particularly pronounced. Residents report seeing parents escorting children door-to-door for short trips that were once routine. Some families are reportedly keeping children home from after-school programs altogether.
According to multiple community advocates working in Hudson and Essex counties, residents across North Jersey have begun carrying passport cards and other identification documents with them at all times, even for short trips to the grocery store or school drop-offs, out of concern that they may be questioned or detained during an enforcement action.
While ICE officials maintain that operations are targeted and focused on individuals with criminal histories, local leaders say the broader atmosphere created by large-scale enforcement activity tells a different story.
“When people are afraid to report crimes, afraid to speak to police officers, and afraid to walk into public buildings, that weakens public safety for everyone,” the Hoboken mayor said.
Educators in the region have echoed those concerns privately, noting that student anxiety has risen in recent weeks. Teachers and counselors report children asking whether it is safe for their parents to pick them up after school and whether family members will still be home when they return.
In a city known for its tightly knit neighborhoods and visible street life, even small shifts in behavior are noticeable. Local business owners say foot traffic has dipped during evening hours in certain areas, and organizers of neighborhood festivals and outreach events are quietly scaling back programming due to lower expected turnout.
Newark and Jersey City leaders say the issue extends far beyond any single community. With North Jersey serving as one of the most diverse regions in the state — home to large immigrant populations who contribute significantly to the workforce, small-business economy, healthcare sector, and construction and service industries — municipal leaders warn that fear-driven disengagement could have lasting economic and social consequences.
The proposed state legislation would formally limit cooperation between state and municipal agencies and federal immigration authorities, including restrictions on data sharing, use of public facilities for civil immigration enforcement, and participation in joint operations that are not tied to criminal investigations.
Advocates say similar policies in other states and cities have helped stabilize community relationships and improve crime reporting among immigrant populations, particularly in neighborhoods where residents historically distrust government institutions.
Civil rights groups across New Jersey are now pressing lawmakers to act quickly, framing the legislation as a necessary response to what they describe as an escalating climate of fear following recent enforcement activity in densely populated urban corridors.
“This is not an abstract policy debate,” said one community organizer working with families in Hudson County. “We’re talking about children who are scared to walk to school and parents who are scared to attend school meetings. That’s the real impact.”
The Hoboken mayor said the city will continue reviewing its own policies to ensure municipal staff, public safety officers, and public service employees are operating within clearly defined boundaries when it comes to federal immigration matters.
“We will not allow our schools, our libraries, or our community centers to become places of fear,” the mayor said. “If people do not feel safe accessing basic services, then we are failing the very purpose of local government.”
As pressure mounts in Trenton, local leaders across North Jersey are urging state lawmakers to move swiftly, arguing that clarity at the state level is now essential to prevent further erosion of trust between immigrant communities and the institutions meant to serve them.
For Hoboken — a city small in size but deeply interconnected — the message from City Hall is clear: public safety cannot be measured solely by enforcement statistics, but by whether residents feel secure enough to participate fully in daily life.
