Jackson Township, N.J. – After a tragic crash in a local grocery‑store parking lot claimed the life of a 9‑month‑old infant, Mayor Jennifer Kuhn is pressing the township council to adopt a resolution demanding that the state repeal its sanctuary‑style Immigrant Trust Directive.
Crash that sparked the outcry
On Aug. 28, Maria Cobon‑Guzman, a 20‑year‑old Guatemalan national without a driver’s license, struck a mother pushing a stroller with her infant son and five‑year‑old daughter. The baby died, and the mother and older child were critically injured.
Cobon‑Guzman was charged with manslaughter. Prosecutors also charged Ariadna Lazaro‑Flores, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, with endangering the welfare of an incompetent person for allowing Cobon‑Guzman to drive.
Mayor’s demand for policy change
“If our police pull somebody over and they’re undocumented… they can’t call ICE. That needs to change,” Kuhn told Fox News Digital. She argued that New Jersey’s Immigrant Trust Directive, enacted under former Gov. Phil Murphy in 2018 and codified into law by Gov. Mikie Sherrill, prevents law‑enforcement from notifying federal immigration authorities when an illegal immigrant is arrested.
Kuhn said the tragedy underscores the need to scrap policies that, in her view, let dangerous illegal immigrants avoid accountability.
State sanctuary rules explained
The Immigrant Trust Directive generally prohibits police from inquiring about a person’s immigration status, from notifying U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when someone is released from custody, and from sharing certain non‑public personal information for civil immigration enforcement. The law does allow notification for individuals charged with violent or serious felonies, but critics say the thresholds are too narrow.
New Jersey Attorney General spokesperson Dan Prochilo defended the directive, noting that law‑enforcement agencies have regularly provided ICE with notices in appropriate cases, such as assaults, arsons, burglaries and other serious crimes.
Local response and next steps
Kuhn is urging the Jackson Township Council to pass a resolution demanding that the state roll back the directive. “I know that there are other towns in Ocean County and beyond facing the same issue. Something needs to change,” she said.
The council’s decision could add pressure on Gov. Sherrill, who in February signed an executive order limiting ICE operations on state property without a judicial warrant.
Broader debate
Supporters of the sanctuary‑style policies argue they build trust between immigrant communities and police, encouraging victims and witnesses to report crimes without fear of immigration scrutiny. Opponents, like Mayor Kuhn, contend that the policies endanger public safety by shielding illegal immigrants who commit serious offenses.
The incident has reignited the statewide debate over how New Jersey balances public‑safety concerns with the goal of fostering cooperation between law‑enforcement and immigrant communities.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
