Cape May County Sheriff Bob Nolan accepted an invitation to the White House last week to meet with the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) Administrative Team, including the deputy principal legal adviser to ICE, to discuss the firm stance he has taken to uphold public safety in Cape May County by continuing the 287(g) program at the Cape May County Jail, and to coordinate action with federal officials.
The 287(g) program, in which the federal government has absolute control over how ICE arrests are handled, and allows state and local law enforcement entities to enter into partnerships with ICE and deputize their officers to act as immigration officers, was upheld in a landmark case in Arizona by the Supreme Court.
Nolan has been vocal regarding his objection to Gov. Murphy and the New Jersey attorney general attempting to make New Jersey a sanctuary state, where state officials limit cooperation with the federal government, regarding immigration law enforcement. He was one of several sheriffs from three states attending the D.C. meeting, as he faces a state mandate that he complies with the governor’s directive.
Democratic freeholder candidates Liz Casey and Joyce Gould have not taken any position on this critical issue facing Cape May County. Neither Casey or Gould have voiced opposition to the actions of the governor and the attorney general.
Cape May County Freeholders Gerald M. Thornton and E. Marie Hayes, along with the Freeholder Board, support Sheriff Nolan’s opposition to making Cape May County a sanctuary county. In July, the Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders gave its unanimous support to the Cape May County Sheriff’s Office’s commitment to upholding public safety in Cape May County, by continuing the 287(g) program at the Cape May County Jail.
District Senate candidate Michael Testa has also said he would volunteer his legal services pro-bono to file a complaint against the New Jersey attorney general’s decision to prohibit sheriffs’ departments from cooperating with the federal immigration enforcement officials. The complaint has been authorized by Thornton and Hayes, as well as the Freeholder Board, and will be filed in the immediate future.
Freeholder candidates Thornton and Hayes have opposed the idea of a sanctuary county for several years. The issue is now at the forefront, due to the action the attorney general has taken throughout the state trying to make New Jersey a sanctuary state.
Thornton and Hayes do not believe that the state has the authority to tell the county that they can’t comply with the laws of the Constitution of the United States.
Vote for Freeholders Gerald M. Thornton and E. Marie Hayes Nov. 5, for proven leadership.
Ordered and Paid for by Thornton and Hayes for Freeholder, 15 Caroline Lane, Ocean City, NJ 08226.
Cape May – The number one reason I didn’t vote for Donald Trump was January 6th and I found it incredibly sad that so many Americans turned their back on what happened that day when voting. I respect that the…
