Bridgeton, NJ - Bridgeton City Council has introduced an ordinance that would restrict U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent access to non-public areas of municipal property, and restrict access to data without judicial warrants.

City Council unanimously approved the introduction of the ordinance at their meeting on Tuesday evening. Several members of the public have spent time during public comment in recent months speaking out against local ICE activity. The public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on October 6th at City Hall.

The ordinance is introduced after months of activists and members of the public expressed concerns and fear regarding the presence of ICE in the community. Earlier this year, a confrontation outside of the Bridgeton Court House was captured on video and posted on social media, sparking debates.

According to the White House, ICE arrested 83 individuals in Bridgeton between Jan. 2025 - May 2026, with some being charged with offenses like assault, sexual assault, weapon offenses, and more. The countries of origin of those arrested include China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Mexico.