U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) announced that state officials will launch an online portal for residents to upload photos and videos of ICE operations. Speaking on The Daily Show, she urged people to document encounters after reports of agents detaining people without identifying themselves. The portal mirrors similar efforts in New York and California and follows two recent fatal shootings involving federal immigration agents that were captured on video.
New Jersey Lawmaker Urges Public To Upload Videos Of ICE Encounters As State Prepares Portal
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced that state officials will launch a portal allowing residents to upload videos of ICE operations.(Getty Images)
U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) said state officials plan to launch an online portal where New Jersey residents can upload photos and videos of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducting federal operations. She made the announcement during an appearance on The Daily Show and urged the public to document encounters with immigration agents.
"If you see an ICE agent in the street, get your phone out — we want to know," Sherrill said. "They have not been forthcoming. They will pick people up, they will not tell us who they are, they will not tell us if they're here legally, they won't check. They'll pick up American citizens. They picked up a five-year-old child. We want documentation, and we are going to make sure we get it."
Sherrill said the portal will allow residents to upload cellphone videos and photos that can help alert communities to local immigration enforcement and potentially be reviewed by state officials. Her office said additional details and next steps would be released in the coming days.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said her administration will be launching a portal so New Jersey residents "can upload all their cell phone videos and alert people" about immigration operations.
What The State Will Do
In addition to collecting footage, Sherrill said state officials plan to distribute information to New Jersey residents about their legal rights when encountering federal agents. The goal, she said, is to increase transparency and accountability around immigration enforcement activities in the state.
Context And Reactions
The New Jersey announcement follows similar efforts elsewhere: New York Attorney General Letitia James launched a portal last October to gather civilian images and videos for review, and California officials opened a reporting portal more recently. Grassroots groups in multiple cities have also warned community members when ICE activity is reported.
Two killings of U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis this month that were recorded by bystanders.
The move comes amid national scrutiny after two recent fatal shootings involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis that were captured by bystanders and sparked widespread concern. On Jan. 7, Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed during an ICE operation. In a separate incident, Border Patrol agents fatally shot Alex Pretti while he was recording enforcement activity; video and witness accounts indicate Pretti appeared to try to assist a woman who had been knocked down, and agents then used force that culminated in his death.
Calls For Greater Transparency
Sherrill compared the anonymous appearance of some immigration agents to the unmarked, masked units she saw while serving in the Navy, saying such anonymity undermines accountability. Lawmakers in Congress and several state legislatures have proposed measures to restrict agents from wearing masks or otherwise hiding their identities to improve transparency and public trust.
Note on reporting: The original item misidentified Mikie Sherrill as New Jersey's governor. Sherrill is a U.S. Representative from New Jersey; this version corrects that error and frames the announcement as her public statement that state officials will establish a portal.
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