This bill aims to prohibit municipalities and counties in New Jersey from adopting any ordinances or resolutions that would require officials to refuse or fail to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Any existing ordinances that conflict with this requirement will be rendered void. Additionally, members of municipal or county governing bodies who vote for such non-cooperation policies will be guilty of a misdemeanor, facing potential fines and imprisonment, as well as forfeiture of their office. The bill also mandates that local government officers and employees must comply with lawful requests from federal agencies regarding immigration enforcement, with similar penalties for noncompliance.

Furthermore, the bill establishes that the State will defend and indemnify municipal employees or officers against civil liability arising from their cooperation with federal immigration authorities, provided their actions do not stem from intentional misconduct. It amends existing ethics regulations to include provisions that require cooperation with federal immigration requests, thereby reinforcing the expectation of compliance among state and local officials. The bill is positioned as a response to concerns about public safety and the implications of sanctuary city policies, citing instances of violent crime associated with non-cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 40A:9-22.5, 52:13D-23