Mayoral and council leaders issued a joint statement on July 28 saying they were "deeply troubled" after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, detained 15 people on Harrison Street on the morning of July 24. The statement, read at the council meeting, said municipal staff had contacted consulates, employers and community members and that "we stand in solidarity with those affected and their families." The statement also repeated that local police would not participate in ICE operations and referenced the state attorney general's 2018 immigrant-trust directive.

Why it matters: Residents and immigrant-rights organizers told the council the arrests have produced fear and a drop in everyday activity — parents, workers and students said they no longer feel safe leaving home — and pressed the council to provide immediate legal, financial and communications support to impacted families. Dozens of speakers demanded the council pass and deliver a resolution supporting the Immigrant Trust Act (ITA), a state-level bill that backers say would codify data and cooperation limits between local agencies and federal immigration enforcement.

Details and council response: The town's reading said ICE "detained 15 individuals on Harrison Street as they traveled in a van on their way to work" and that the municipality is "deeply troubled by this event and by similar incidents occurring throughout New Jersey and across the country." The statement continued: "ICE's actions erode trust and confidence between local government and the people they serve." It said the Princeton Police Department follows the state attorney general's 2018 immigrant-trust directive and that "Princeton police will neither participate in nor obstruct ICE operations." The statement warned the public that interfering with federal operations could be a federal crime.

At the meeting, several council members said they back the ITA and plan to deliver a resolution supporting the bill to the state legislature at a time they believe will be most effective. Mayor Mark Frieda (statement read on behalf of mayor and council) said the council supports "legislation and concrete action proposed by the state legislature and by federal representatives that would meaningfully protect our immigrant community," but added the town is coordinating timing with the bill's sponsors.

Public comments and community demands: More than 60 people spoke during public comment, many identifying themselves as neighbors, family members of detainees or organizers with Resistencia/Resistencia Acción. Speakers described family members taken during morning commutes, warned of trauma and economic harm caused by sudden loss of household income, and said municipal outreach after the detentions was inconsistent or inaccessible to Spanish speakers.

- "My uncle was abducted by ICE last Thursday morning," said Arlene Flores, who said the family had not yet been able to confirm his health or detention location.
- Organizers and residents repeatedly urged the council to pass a municipal resolution supporting the Immigrant Trust Act immediately and to collaborate with grassroots groups to create a community safety and rapid-response plan.

Council and staff commitments: Council members said they have been in contact with the bill sponsors and with community groups and that they intend to submit a municipal resolution to the state legislature, but several residents and organizers pushed council members to act immediately rather than wait for a legislative calendar the council described as more effective in the fall. Council members also committed to coordinating municipal human-services support for impacted families and to workshop a community-led safety plan with local organizers.

What the town did not do tonight: No formal municipal resolution endorsing the ITA was introduced or adopted at the July 28 meeting. The council issued a statement and said it will present a resolution at a later date when members believe it will have the greatest impact at the state level. Residents and organizers said that delay leaves families at immediate risk.

Local legal context cited: The council's statement cited the state attorney general's 2018 immigrant-trust directive (the directive the statement said Princeton Police already follows), and speakers repeatedly asked the council to support the Immigrant Trust Act, a pending state bill referenced throughout the meeting.

What's next: Council members said they will continue working with state lawmakers and with community groups to draft a resolution and to coordinate legal and financial assistance for affected families. Organizers asked the council to put a binding resolution on the next possible agenda, to commit municipal funds for legal representation and to participate in a community-developed safety plan.

Ending: The meeting closed without a vote on a municipal endorsement of the ITA; several council members said privately and on the record that they support the bill and plan to deliver an endorsement to the legislature when they believe it will maximize impact, but community groups and family members said that timing is insufficient for those needing immediate support.