BELVIDERE, N.J. — Dozens of residents addressed the Warren County Board of County Commissioners during public comment on July 23, pressing the board to adopt a proclamation “affirming the rights of all persons in Warren County,” expressing concern about immigration enforcement operations and urging protective language from the county.

Guy Citron, speaking for Voices for Justice New Jersey, said the group had requested a proclamation at the prior meeting and had not yet received a response. He asked the board to “proclaim affirming all persons have rights in accordance with our Constitution, namely the Fifth Amendment,” and said the movement was nonpartisan.

Several members of the public described personal or observed experiences they said illustrated fear in immigrant communities. Heather Santos recounted a family history of immigration and said her son canceled a trip because he feared a family member might be detained despite long legal residence. Andy Meissner read an account he said came from people detained and transported extensively by masked officers; others described seeing friends and neighbors afraid to attend community events.

Speakers also debated legal and procedural points. Resident Keith Cumo asked whether a formal proclamation request would require following county procedures; Commissioner Ciesla confirmed a proclamation would follow formal procedures and a two-month timeline because the county drafts such proclamations internally. Cumo and other speakers argued the request was legally and procedurally complicated; he recommended caution and raised constitutional distinctions between civil immigration proceedings and criminal prosecutions.

Commissioner James R. Kern III responded that he supports the Constitution and due process for all persons but said the requested proclamation “goes beyond that” and would be a “veiled critique of lawful immigration enforcement and federal cooperation.” Kern referenced prior county resolutions in 2019, 2024 and 2025 that he said affirm working with federal agencies and said he would not support the new proclamation. Commissioner and Deputy Director Lori Ciesla said immigration is a federal issue, not a state or county issue, and said the county would help people who report problems with county jurisdictions (for example, jail conditions) or provide guidance for federal-level issues.

No formal action on a proclamation was taken at the July 23 meeting. Commissioner Ciesla confirmed that, if the board chose to pursue a proclamation, procedure requires the county to draft language and follow the county’s established timeline for proclamations.

Ending: Residents urged local government to issue symbolic protection for immigrants and recounting fears about enforcement prompted a procedural response from commissioners who said the county would not immediately adopt the requested proclamation and emphasized the county’s limits and existing policies.