Additional Coverage:
- Chilling moment ICE agent tells New Jersey man they ‘don’t need a warrant’ to arrest someone (themirror.com)
Tense Standoff: Jersey City Councilman Confronts ICE Agents on NJ Transit, Raising Questions of Warrants and Rights
JERSEY CITY – A recent video has ignited a fierce debate after capturing a heated exchange between Jersey City Councilman Jake Ephros and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents aboard a New Jersey train. The footage shows agents informing the councilman that they “don’t need a warrant” to make arrests, a statement that, while technically accurate for public spaces, has fueled ongoing controversies surrounding ICE operations.
The video documents federal officers conducting immigration enforcement actions in both Hoboken and Jersey City. It later depicts ICE agents arresting a man, with Councilman Ephros attempting to gather the individual’s information.
As the agents took the man into custody and placed him in a black SUV, residents on the residential block emerged from their homes, yelling at the officers. Ephros persistently questioned whether the agents had a warrant or were engaging in “profiling,” at one point alleging the person in custody was a U.S. citizen.
The incident begins with Ephros in an elevator with ICE agents, where he identifies himself as a city council member. An agent responds, “Alright, cool man,” before adding, “Listen, there’s nothing you’re going to say that’s going to prevent us from doing our job.”
Ephros then states he is recording, to which the officer replies, “You can record. I have no problem with you recording.
But you’re not going to get in the elevator with us right now.”
Ephros asserted his right to be on public transit, prompting the ICE officer to warn, “I’m letting you know, if you do come in, I’m going to consider you as interfering.”
Councilman Ephros remained with the individual until he was placed in the SUV. Further details regarding the man’s immigration status are not currently available.
Following the incident, Ephros expressed deep concern, stating, “It’s extremely troubling and to hear that directly from his mouth that they can just go around and pick someone up, kidnap them and take them away.”
Hoboken Mayor Emily Jabbour also weighed in, remarking, “I’ve heard from several business owners who had employees that were taken yesterday. They were on their way to work. It was a Sunday morning and I don’t think anyone had the expectation that this would be targeted at Hoboken.”
The confrontation underscores the ongoing tensions between community leaders and federal immigration enforcement, particularly regarding the scope of ICE’s powers in public spaces and the impact on local residents and businesses.