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 classified 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, law enforcement officers are required to comply with immigration detainer requests from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and may enter into voluntary agreements with federal authorities for immigration enforcement.

The bill also repeals existing laws that prevent state prisons and jails from serving as immigration detention facilities and rescinds the Immigrant Trust Directive, which limited cooperation between state law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. The Attorney General is directed to ensure that any new rules or policies align with the legislative intent of this act and comply with the Administrative Procedure Act. Overall, the Laken Riley Act aims to align New Jersey's immigration enforcement practices with federal law, particularly the federal Laken Riley Act enacted in 2025.