Imagine this: You’re shopping at your local corner store in New Jersey. Suddenly, immigration officers stop you and put you under arrest. You’re a U.S. citizen–but that doesn’t seem to matter because of how you look.
This isn’t just a hypothetical. It’s happening right now under the latest wave of immigration crackdowns under President Trump, where racial profiling is being disguised as “enforcement.” U.S. citizens and legal residents, primarily those who appear Hispanic, are being illegally detained in violation of New Jersey law.
Know your rights
In New Jersey, it is illegal for police or anyone else to treat someone differently because of what they look like or where they come from. The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD) prohibits racial and national origin discrimination in places of public accommodation—including by law enforcement. Under the New Jersey Civil Rights Act (NJCRA), law enforcement cannot stop or detain someone just because they look like an immigrant. Officers need reasonable suspicion to stop someone and probable cause to detain or arrest them for an immigration violation. The message under both of these laws is clear: No one should be stopped, detained, or harassed simply because they “look” like an immigrant.
If you’ve been the victim of this type of discrimination, contact the New Jersey civil rights lawyers at Costello, Mains & Silverman, LLC. We know how to help. Please call our attorneys today at 866-944-3371 (toll-free) or contact us online to arrange a free, confidential consultation.
