The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.New Jersey requires police departments to adopt federal immigration cooperation policies and provides state legal defense
Last action · January 13, 2026: Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness CommitteeSponsors: Auth, Robert and 6 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Every interstate, State, county, county park, and municipal police department, along with qualifying educational institutions, must adopt a policy of cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The State of New Jersey will defend and indemnify law enforcement officers in civil actions arising from this cooperation, provided the acts did not involve intentional or . The measure takes effect on the first day of the fourth month following enactment.
Law enforcement agencies face new mandatory operational requirements regarding federal immigration requests, while individual officers receive state-backed legal defense and financial protection against civil liability during compliance, excluding cases of intentional misconduct.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Law enforcement officers
Officers receive state-backed legal defense and indemnification in civil liability actions arising from federal immigration cooperation, excluding instances of intentional or willful misconduct.
Police departments and educational institutions
Agencies are mandated to formally adopt and implement policies of cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
State of New Jersey
The State assumes the financial and legal responsibility to defend and indemnify qualifying law enforcement officers in civil actions.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which agencies are required to adopt immigration cooperation policies?
Are police officers protected from lawsuits when cooperating with federal immigration authorities?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Show 2 more sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
njleg.state.nj.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy85Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz60Current news / social attention level
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