Camden County Board Approves ICE Ban

Camden County’s commissioners voted 7-0 on April 16 to bar federal immigration agents from using county property for civil enforcement without a judicial warrant. (patch.com) The resolution covers non-public areas of county-owned or leased property, including the Camden County Correctional Facility, county parks, Camden County College and Camden County Technical Schools. It also applies to parking lots, garages, vehicles and other county-controlled property. (southjersey.media) The measure also bars county employees, contractors, county agencies and Camden County College representatives from using county property or resources to help federal, state or local civil immigration enforcement. The county board has seven members, and all voted in favor. (patch.com) (camdencounty.com) The vote extends a state policy Gov. Mikie Sherrill put in place on Feb. 11, when she signed Executive Order 12 limiting federal immigration operations on nonpublic state property unless agents have a judicial warrant or order. The order says state property cannot be used as a staging area, processing site or operations base for civil immigration enforcement. (nj.gov) (politico.com) County officials tied the local action to recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in South Jersey. South Jersey Media reported Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said children in Camden County had been left scared to go to their school bus stop after recent operations. (southjersey.media) (patch.com) Before the vote, Cappelli used the meeting to attack President Donald Trump, calling him a “cult leader and traitor” in a statement highlighted by local coverage. TAPinto reported he also accused federal agents of using “Gestapo-like tactics.” (patch.com) (tapinto.net) Supporters cast the resolution as a limit on county cooperation, not a block on all federal access. The text described in local reports still allows entry or action when agents have a valid judicial warrant, judicial order or other legal authorization. (patch.com) (southjersey.media) The fight now is likely to be over enforcement, not wording: Camden County has declared its jails, parks and offices off-limits for civil immigration operations unless a judge has signed off. (nj.com)