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Bill

A 5176

Repeals codification of AG directive, "Strengthening Trust Between Law Enforcement and Immigrant Communities."

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Dawn Fantasia and 3 co-sponsors

The bill repeals a statute that restricted policing and reporting on cooperation with federal immigration authorities, restoring broader discretion for law enforcement and prosecut

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee
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Bill Summary · A 5176

Overview

This bill seeks to repeal a prior New Jersey statute that codified an Attorney General directive titled “Strengthening Trust Between Law Enforcement and Immigrant Communities.” The repealed law previously restricted racially-influenced policing, limited certain cooperation with federal immigration authorities, and imposed various transparency, notification, and prosecutorial procedures related to immigration issues. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Main purpose and intent

  • Repeal the codified directive that governs interactions between state/local law enforcement and immigrant communities.
  • Revert to a state framework that allows (or at least does not codify restrictions on) law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities as previously permitted under general law or other unspecified authorities.
  • Remove mandatory annual reporting by the Attorney General on permissible assistance to federal immigration authorities.
  • Remove procedural requirements for law enforcement agencies and prosecutors related to notices to detained individuals, visa certification processing procedures, and immigration-consequence notifications.

Key provisions and changes

  • Repeal of P.L.2026, c.5: The specific statute codifying the AG directive is repealed in its entirety.
  • Effect on law enforcement practices:
    • The prohibition on racially-influenced policing and certain forms of assistance to federal immigration authorities that were codified by the repealed law would no longer be mandated by that statute.
    • Any duties requiring annual AG publication of instances of permitted assistance to federal immigration authorities would be removed.
    • Requirements for notifying detained individuals about requests by federal immigration authorities would be eliminated.
    • Procedures for processing visa certification requests by law enforcement agencies would no longer be mandated by this statute.
  • Effect on prosecutorial procedures:
    • Provisions requiring prosecutors to address pretrial and trial procedures in light of immigration considerations, and to notify defendants of possible immigration consequences, would be repealed to the extent they relied on the repealed statute.

Note: The bill’s text indicates the sponsor’s expectation that the repeals restore more discretion to federal interaction with law enforcement and reduce the statutory constraints that the repealed law imposed on local policing and prosecutorial decisions.

Who would be affected

  • State and local law enforcement agencies and their officers, who would no longer be bound by the repealed directive’s specific prohibitions and reporting/notification requirements.
  • Prosecutors and pretrial/trial procedures in cases where immigration consequences were addressed under the repealed statute.
  • The Attorney General’s Office, which would no longer be required to annually publish instances of permitted cooperation with federal immigration authorities nor oversee certain notification and visa-certification procedural requirements mandated by the repealed law.
  • Immigrant communities and individuals detained or facing immigration-related considerations, in terms of how notices and procedures are applied, but the exact effect depends on how the remainder of state law governs such interactions outside the repealed directive.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Status: Introduced June 1, 2026; referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee.
  • Effective date: Immediate upon enactment (as stated in the bill).
  • Legislative trajectory: Requires passage by both chambers and enactment by the governor to take effect; not indicated here whether enacted or pending.

Potential impacts to monitor

  • Changes in how closely New Jersey law enforcement coordinates with federal immigration authorities.
  • Any shifts in transparency practices previously mandated by the repealed statute (e.g., AG annual reports).
  • Variations in notice requirements to detained individuals and in visa-certification processing procedures at the agency level.
  • Implications for prosecutorial strategies regarding immigration consequences in criminal cases.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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