Protect Our Immigrant Neighbors, sign the West Orange Trust Resolution!
The West Orange Town Council
As we all know, there has been increased Federal Immigration enforcement activity happening all across the US over the past year. This has increasingly put immigrant communities at risk of being targeted by ICE activity, and has led to thousands of wrongful arrests. Approximately 25% of the people living in West Orange are foreign born individuals.
People are afraid they will be targeted simply because of how they look or how they talk. Parents are asking whether it is safe to attend school events. Attendance at church and adult education classes has plummeted. People who have lived and worked in this town for years are afraid that accessing basic services could put them or their loved ones at risk.
Petition by
To:
The West Orange Town Council
From:
[Your Name]
We sign this petition to ask the members of the West Orange town council to pass the West Orange Trust Resolution (A RESOLUTION REGULATING THE USE OF MUNICIPAL PROPERTY AND RESOURCES IN CONNECTION WITH CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT)
On February 11, 2026, Governor Sherrill issued Executive Order 12, which established clear rules for how federal immigration enforcement can use state property. The order requires a judicial warrant signed by a judge to enter non-public areas and prohibits the use of state property as a staging location for enforcement operations.
In addition, on March 25th, Governor Sherrill signed the Immigrant Trust Act into law. The ITA creates a clear boundary between local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement. It states that local law enforcement is to cooperate with federal law enforcement ONLY when a judicial warrant signed by a judge is present.
The NJ Immigrant Trust Act is a good law, but to protect our neighbors and build trust in the community, we need a separate and independent layer of municipal protection that will be carried out at the local level. And that is the purpose of the proposed resolution.
We, therefore, ask that a resolution be passed in West Orange that:
1. Ensures town-owned property and resources not be used by federal immigration enforcement agencies as a staging area or operation base.
2. Private “safe zones” should be set aside in public buildings (schools, libraries, town hall, and other publicly owned buildings) with clear signage where Federal agents cannot access or detain individuals without a valid judicial warrant.
3. West Orange town will not collect, retain, or share personal information related to immigration status.
4. Timely and accessible reporting of any ICE or federal immigration enforcement activity in and around West Orange.