Protests are planned Friday in Asbury Park as part of a nationwide shutdown effort by groups calling to keep Immigration and Customs Enforcement out of New Jersey.
The demonstration is scheduled for Bangs Avenue in the center of Asbury Park, where organizers say they aim to shut down schools and businesses as part of a national day of action. Organizers say protesters are motivated by violence, raids and arrests reported in Minneapolis, as well as the deaths of Renee Goode and Alex Pretti, and do not want similar events to occur in New Jersey.
A separate protest is also scheduled in Newark.
Farther north, the Hudson County executive has announced a ban on federal immigration authorities attempting to make arrests inside county buildings without a warrant, according to county officials. Under the policy, county employees are not permitted to assist immigration agents. County Executive Craig Guy said the move is intended to keep communities safe from what he described as unlawful federal immigration tactics, officials said.
The announcement follows remarks made Thursday by Gov. Sherrill, who said the state is creating an ICE portal that will allow people to report where ICE is located in New Jersey to warn immigrants in the area.
“I knew where this was headed when we started seeing DHS people taking loyalty oaths to the president, not the Constitution,” Sherrill said. “We saw people in the street with masks and no insignia, so not accountable at all, hiding from the population.”
Organizers in Asbury Park said they are still waiting to see how many people will attend Friday’s protest and whether businesses will participate in the shutdown.