The New Jersey Laken Riley Act establishes specific procedures for law enforcement regarding the arrest of aliens unlawfully present in the United States who are charged with certain crimes. The bill outlines that if a law enforcement officer determines that an individual is unlawfully present and is charged with serious offenses—including any indictable crime, motor vehicle violations involving bodily injury, or crimes defined as aggravated felonies or crimes of violence under federal law—there is a presumption of pretrial detention. This presumption can only be rebutted by clear and convincing evidence. Additionally, the bill allows law enforcement officers to inquire about an individual's immigration status through the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and mandates compliance with any immigration detainer requests received.

Furthermore, the bill reforms existing law enforcement practices related to illegal immigration by permitting law enforcement agencies to enter into voluntary agreements with federal authorities for immigration enforcement services and repealing the previous prohibition against using state prisons and jails as immigration detention facilities. It also directs the Attorney General to rescind the Immigrant Trust Directive, which limited cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The intent of the bill is to align New Jersey's laws with federal immigration policies, particularly the federal Laken Riley Act.