Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents descended upon a Morristown laundromat Sunday morning, detaining up to 10 people—including a New Jersey high school senior—in a raid that stunned residents and sent shockwaves through the tight-knit community.
ICE agents targeted a laundromat on Speedwell Avenue, according to local officials and witnesses. Some people were detained inside the business, while others were arrested outside or nearby after exiting the building. Videos of the operation have circulated online since.
Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty said the town was not notified in advance and did not assist with the operation.
Among those detained was a senior at Morristown High School. The student, who is a minor, was being held at an ICE detention facility in Elizabeth as of Monday morning.
Mayor Dougherty stated that the arrest of a high school student made the action especially troubling.
Videos posted to social media show masked agents in tactical gear detaining individuals outside the laundromat. The street surrounding the area was lined with black SUVs.
According to local officials, police were not involved in the operation. New Jersey’s Immigrant Trust Directive, signed by Governor Murphy, limits cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities in most civil enforcement cases.
Following the incident, the word spread quickly to neighboring businesses on Speedwell Avenue. Shops posted signs warning ICE they would not be permitted entry without a proper warrant. Other stores closed entirely.
@elhijodemorzan Ice en Morristown nj #ice #morristown #migracion ♬ sonido original – El hijo de morazan
Candidates for NJ-11—the district representing Morristown, which Mikie Sherrill is vacating as she prepares to take office—spoke up about the ICE operation.
“Reports of masked ICE cowards terrorizing communities in Morristown yesterday are disgusting and demand collective outrage and action,” NJ-11 candidate Tom Malinowski stated. “No one walking down the street, shopping at a grocery, or doing their laundry on a Sunday morning should have to show their papers or prove their citizenship to avoid being seized by federal agents trying to jack up their daily arrest quotas.”
As Governor Murphy prepares to leave office, pending immigration protection bills are awaiting action in the Assembly. If passed, measures would expand protections against immigration enforcement at sensitive locations like schools and churches. Furthermore, the legislation would restrict data sharing with federal authorities and permanently codify limits on cooperation between police departments and ICE.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.