The Trump administration has cracked down on immigration, especially in localities. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can now enter schools, hospitals, and places of worship in raids. A memo from the Office of the Attorney General two weeks ago warned “sanctuary jurisdictions” to stand down, lest they lose federal funding.
Despite this, Princeton town officials say that how they interact with and serve the immigrant community is not changing, including the work done by the town’s Human Services Department. A statement released by the town on Friday, Feb. 21 said the commitment to serving the immigrant community “remains as strong as ever today.”
“The new federal administration’s policies on immigration enforcement do not change the work we do for our community,” the statement reads. “We want to assure all our residents that you are, first and foremost, members of our community, and we remain steadfast in our mission to serve and support you.”
In a statement to The Daily Princetonian, President of the Princeton Council Mia Sacks noted “there is tremendous anxiety in our town about the potential impact of what we see happening at the federal level.”
“At present, nothing has changed in Princeton in terms of funding resources and the unwavering commitment to our immigrant community by elected officials, municipal staff, and local law enforcement,” she continued. “We issued a statement last week to underscore this continuity.”
The statement noted that there have been concerns from community members about federal funding cuts and that the town is “closely monitoring new developments and remain[s] in regular contact with state agencies and advocacy organizations.”
The town has a history of helping the immigrant community, as well as other underserved communities. In 2015, Princeton became the first municipality in the state to join Welcoming America, a non-profit dedicated to fostering inclusive communities nationwide. While Princeton is not a “sanctuary city,” it is recognized as a “welcoming city” — although town law enforcement cannot stop raids, town policies restrict their cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The municipality also follows the state’s Immigration Trust Directive, “ensuring that individuals who are victims or witnesses to a crime can safely come forward to New Jersey law enforcement officials, regardless of their immigration status,” according to a statement from State Attorney General Matt Platkin to the ‘Prince.’
“It allows New Jersey law enforcement to properly focus on preventing violent crime,” the statement continues. “It is also settled law. The Trump Administration and local officials challenged it years ago, and their claims were thoroughly rejected, by judges across the ideological spectrum.”
Molly Linhorst, a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU NJ) emphasized that New Jersey’s immigration laws are legal and within the jurisdiction of local authorities. “These lawsuits and these memos that are essentially attacking sanctuary jurisdictions are really doing it to intimidate, pressure, and otherwise scare states and cities from engaging in policies that are perfectly legal,” Linhorst told the ‘Prince.’
Linhorst explained that, under the 10th Amendment, the federal government cannot compel state or local authorities to enforce federal regulations.
Fear of ICE raids are widespread following the Trump administration’s persistent rhetoric on immigration, but some community members are staying firm in their support.
Kristin Nagy ’27, an organizer with Students for Prison Education, Abolition, and Reform (SPEAR), emphasized that while immigration threats persist regardless of who holds office, concerns have intensified. SPEAR has been collaborating with local organizations such as Resistencia en Accion (REA NJ) to support undocumented residents. Their advocacy has also included running Know Your Rights sessions and helping activists advance the ICE Out of Princeton campaign.
“From what I’ve learned talking with Resistencia, there is a lot of community fear, but I think there is also — at least within [Resistencia] — a lot of solidarity with each other and hope and thinking that during this difficult time, our community can come together,” Nagy explained.
Several students volunteering for El Centro, an organization offering English classes to immigrants in Trenton, have also reported a significant drop in turnout over the past few weeks.
Jason Fuller ’26, a project leader at El Centro, said that the first classes of the semester are typically “packed,” but recently they have seen a quarter of the typical number.
“I speculate that the current political climate has something to do with this,” Fuller explained to the ‘Prince,’ though he pointed to other factors such as the cold weather, a lack of advertising, and confusion around the meeting time as other potential reasons for decreased turnout.
Despite observing fear and anxiety among program participants, Fuller said that “El Centro is staying strong. We’re going to continue to offer classes. We have numbers and we’re not afraid to show up.”
Last Friday, a search warrant issued as part of an investigation into internet crimes caused panic among residents who initially believed it was an ICE raid. The most recent ICE raid in Princeton was in July 2024, in which one person was arrested.
Beyond ICE raids, immigrants also face the looming threat of new and expanded detention facilities across New Jersey.
ICE may be planning to expand its presence in New Jersey, as indicated by filings to expand detention centers in the state.
The Elizabeth detention center, managed by the private contractor CoreCivic Inc., is currently the only immigration detention facility in the state. But documents obtained by the national chapter of the ACLU in late November of last year indicate that ICE is planning to expand the Elizabeth facility and establish a new detention center in Trenton at the former Bo Robinson Treatment Center. Court records also suggest that the private prison company, GEO Group, has shown interest in converting Delaney Hall in Newark into an additional detention facility.
Linhorst explained that while New Jersey has adopted an anti-detention law prohibiting new, expanded, or renewed contracts for detention facilities between public entities and ICE, as well as with private facilities, private contractors have challenged the law in court, and an injunction has temporarily blocked its enforcement.
“Unfortunately, it has created this window through which private prison companies are eyeing New Jersey and seeking to open more space,” Linhorst said. “ICE has also made clear that they want more bedspace in New Jersey, and so they’ve issued requests for information and requests for proposals.”
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) noted that she is not giving up her fight or support for the immigrant community.
“We’re not going to be scared,” she told the ‘Prince.’ “We’re going to fight back, and while they continue to do things to eliminate services and support and protection of everyday people, we recognize the dignity and humanity of people, including our immigrants.”
Sacks emphasized that the municipality is protected by the state, but is wary of the November 2025 gubernatorial election.
“For the time being we have a buffer at the local level due to New Jersey’s current Governor and Attorney General. There is an election in November that could drastically change this equation,” she wrote. “I urge residents who share our concerns to focus their attention on the upcoming gubernatorial race in New Jersey. It is critical that the next governor uphold policies and practices to protect the rights of immigrants and ensure that all are treated with dignity, fairness, and compassion.”
Charlie Roth is a senior News writer and editor emeritus focusing on local, state, and national politics.
Sena Chang is a senior News writer for the ‘Prince’ from Tokyo, Japan. She typically covers campus and community activism, the state of higher education, and alumni news.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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