TOMS RIVER, N.J. — New Jersey’s sanctuary-state policies received another dose of local pushback Wednesday night as the Toms River Township Council adopted a resolution condemning recently enacted state laws restricting cooperation with federal immigration authorities and urging their repeal.
The August 12th resolution targets several measures approved in Trenton that affect how state and local officials interact with federal immigration enforcement, including restrictions on information-sharing and cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Among the laws singled out are A4071/S3521, which restricts certain communications between state and local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities; A4070/S3522, the “Privacy Protection Act”; legislation requiring law enforcement officers, including ICE agents, to reveal their facial identity during certain interactions; and the “Safe Communities Act,” which directs the Attorney General to develop policies governing immigration enforcement activity at designated “sensitive locations.”
The resolution argues that the policies create public-safety and constitutional concerns while making it more difficult for local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to work together.
It also warns that restrictions on cooperation could expose municipalities and police officers to “legal uncertainty, financial burdens, and operational difficulties” while potentially increasing risks to officers. The resolution further cites federal supremacy over immigration enforcement and points to litigation between Washington and Trenton over New Jersey policies.
Toms River officials also connected the sanctuary-state debate to New Jersey’s unfolding voter-registration controversy involving thousands of noncitizens. The resolution calls for a transparent investigation, suspension of automatic Motor Vehicle Commission registrations, cooperation with federal investigators and a public accounting of the scope and cause of the problem.
Toms River is Ocean County’s most populous municipality and the state’s 8th most populous.
A similar resolution has already been adopted by Warren County, Sussex County, Middletown (Monmouth County) and Stafford Township (Ocean County) in recent weeks.
Ocean County has already found itself near the center of the immigration-enforcement debate. The resolution specifically references the injury of an ICE officer in nearby Stafford as well as unrest surrounding the Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark.
🚨 Courage is contagious:
Toms River (Ocean County) adopted a resolution calling for the repeal of Sanctuary Statehood in New Jersey at Wednesday’s Council Meeting!
This is the state’s 8th most populous municipality.
Which town will stand up next? 👀 pic.twitter.com/Epy1YW3uoX
— Matt Rooney (@MattRooneyNJ) August 13, 2026
