NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. — New Jersey’s immigration debate got an uncomfortable dose of reality last week when an alleged illegal alien fleeing ICE agents crashed into another vehicle — one reportedly carrying the wife of a prominent Middlesex County Democrat.
According to CBS News New York, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were conducting a targeted operation on Route 130 when they stopped the unidentified driver.
What happened next escalated quickly.
ICE says the individual refused orders to exit the vehicle. After repeated warnings, agents attempted to remove the driver, who instead allegedly hit the gas and fled at a high rate of speed.
North Brunswick police said the suspect sped through a red light before crashing into another vehicle. The driver then reportedly tried escaping on foot before federal agents caught up and made the arrest.
The twist? CBS sources say the vehicle that was struck was transporting the wife of East Brunswick Mayor Brad Cohen.
Both occupants of that vehicle were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Cohen, a Democrat, declined to discuss the incident with CBS and said he was tending to his wife.
“After repeated verbal warnings and due to officer safety concerns, ICE officers relied on their training and attempted to safely remove the illegal alien,” ICE told the network. “The illegal alien then proceeded to flee at a high rate of speed and collided with other vehicles.”
The incident arrives as New Jersey remains locked in a bitter fight over its sanctuary-state policies and the extent to which state and local authorities should cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
In this case, at least, the consequences of someone allegedly attempting to evade immigration enforcement weren’t theoretical.
Two New Jerseyans wound up in the hospital.
The suspect’s identity and additional immigration history weren’t included in the CBS report.
