The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.New Jersey Bill A744 Mandates Pretrial Detention and Compliance with Federal Detainers for Certain Undocumented Arrestees
Last action · January 13, 2026: Introduced, Referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations CommitteeSponsors: McGuckin, Gregory P. and 2 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Assembly Bill 744 requires New Jersey law enforcement officers to comply with federal immigration detainers and establishes a rebuttable presumption of for individuals unlawfully present in the U.S. who are arrested for s, motor vehicle offenses involving bodily injury, or certain federal offenses.
Changes criminal procedure by creating a legal presumption that specific non-citizens arrested for qualifying offenses must be held before trial, overriding standard bail reform provisions and requiring local jails to honor federal s.
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
Law enforcement officers are authorized to verify immigration status with federal authorities, required to comply with immigration detainers, and mandated to notify prosecutors upon arresting qualifying individuals.
County and Municipal Prosecutors
Prosecutors are required to file a motion for pretrial detention upon receiving notification from law enforcement regarding qualifying arrestees.
Non-Citizen Arrestees
Individuals without lawful immigration status who are arrested for qualifying crimes face a rebuttable presumption of pretrial detention and mandatory compliance with federal immigration detainers.
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
Who does this bill apply to?
What happens if the Department of Homeland Security confirms an arrestee is unlawfully present?
Does the bill change existing bail reform rules in New Jersey?
What previous state law does this bill repeal?
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 Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations 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
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Reversal of State Immigration Facility Restrictions
The legislation directly repeals P.L.2021, c.199, which previously barred New Jersey state prisons and local jails from operating as immigration detention facilities.
Connected Entities
Sources
njleg.state.nj.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance80How 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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