Brick Mayor Shuts Down ‘ICE Raid’ Rumors

Federal authorities execute a search for illegal immigration violations in Mississippi, Jan. 2025. (Credit: Dept. of Homeland Security)

Federal agents have not been working in Brick Township to enforce immigration law, township officials confirmed, laying to rest internet rumors and chatter at previous council meetings that led some to believe Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were conducting operations in town as part of the national illegal immigration crackdown.

“Someone had noted that ICE had been in Brick Township, and I was concerned about that, obviously,” said Mayor Lisa Crate. “I did my due diligence and reached out to not only the county prosecutor but also the state Attorney General’s to see if that was the case – and if it was something we hadn’t been notified about.”

The response: “Both entities definitively answered no,” Crate said, noting her primary concern was whether the local government would be notified beforehand.

---

Get Brick News Updates Daily Your email address:* Please enter all required fields Correct invalid entries

The discussion comes as New Jersey’s “immigrant trust directive” may face challenges by the federal government. Initially composed by former Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, the directive spells out some of the tightest limits in the nation to prevent county jails, law enforcement agencies and county and local governments from maintaining relationships with ICE, contacting agents or cooperating with federal agents to enforce ICE detainers, which are separate from warrants. Ocean County officials opposed the directive in 2019 and unsuccessfully sued to have it vacated. The county previously had an ICE agent assigned to the jail who would review inmate records and handle detainer requests if a suspect in a local crime was also wanted in connection with a federal immigration violation. That cooperation is no longer allowed in New Jersey, but Sheriff Michael Mastronardy joined colleagues at the White House late last month to meet with President Donald Trump to discuss immigration policies’ effects on local law enforcement.

Law enforcement agencies in New Jersey are also prohibited from deputizing their employees as ICE agents under the 287(g) program, a federal initiative that allows local, county and state law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration laws. Brick’s police department, like most in Ocean County, had never participated in the program, even when it was available.

Crate has previously said that Brick police officers are required to abide by the terms of the directive, but they may assist in arresting people who are the subject of criminal warrants. Local police officers can also assist in emergencies, which has spurred the question as to whether Brick officials would be notified about ICE activities in town.

“We’d likely be made aware, in some form, if they were to make their way here,” said Crate. “I know there were some concerns and people had reached out, and I wanted to make sure it was not the case that we had not been notified.”