Piscataway At-Large Council Members Laura Leibowitz and Sarah Rashid released the following statement about their plans to introduce a resolution addressing ICE at the next Township Council meeting.

"We will put forth a resolution in support of reforms of DHS and ICE. Democrats across our town, county, state and nation must stand for public safety and quality of life for all. We look forward to the support of our fellow council members. These agencies need to undergo meaningful reforms and be accountable and transparent. Our message is clear and we appreciate the recent sentiments of Middlesex County and Governor Mikie Sherrill."

Draft Resolution Supporting Reform of DHS and ICE:

WHEREAS, In January 2026, two United States citizens, including ICU nurse Alex Pretti and Renée Nicole Good, were killed during Federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and

WHEREAS, These deaths have raised serious concerns about the use of force by Federal immigration agents and the adequacy of existing oversight, standards and accountability within the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its enforcement components, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); and
WHEREAS, Federal law enforcement agencies exercise extraordinary authority, including the power to detain individuals and use lethal force, and such authority must be accompanied by clear rules, transparency and accountability to the public; and

WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States possesses the constitutional power of the purse and routinely conditions Federal appropriations to ensure compliance with law, public safety and civil rights protections; and

WHEREAS, Providing additional Federal appropriations to DHS and ICE without meaningful reforms risks further erosion of public trust, escalation of violence and violations of constitutional rights; and

WHEREAS, New Jersey has a long history of defending civil liberties, due process and the rule of law, values that require accountability whenever government power is exercised, particularly through armed enforcement actions; and
WHEREAS, The Constitution of the United States does not permit unchecked Federal authority but instead establishes a constitutional republic in which power is limited, rights are protected and states are not administrative subdivisions of the Federal Government; and

WHEREAS, Meaningful reforms should include enforceable use of-force standards, independent review of serious incidents involving Federal agents, visible identification requirements during enforcement actions, timely public release of body-camera footage following deaths or serious injuries, strengthened civil rights oversight within DHS and full cooperation with State and local authorities when serious incidents occur, including shootings;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that this Council urges the Congress of the United States to condition any additional appropriations for the United States Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement on meaningful accountability, transparency and civil rights reforms; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Council urges the Congress of the United States to ensure that Federal immigration enforcement agencies operate under clear standards that protect public safety, respect constitutional rights and provide real accountability when those standards are violated; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution affirms support for lawful public safety functions while insisting that accountability and constitutional compliance precede any additional Federal funding for the United States Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be transmitted to New Jersey State Senator Bob Smith, New Jersey Assemblymen Joe Danielsen and Kevin Egan, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherill, Congressman Frank Pallone and each member of the United States Congress representing New Jersey.

The progressive Council Members announced their intention on their social media pages last night. They ran together in 2024 and were among the first candidates to be elected in a primary without the "County Line." Leibowitz was elected in 2019 to the Middlesex County Democratic Organization as a committee member. She was a plaintiff in the historic gender-ID case that broke the glass ceiling for women and non-binary candidates seeking county committee seats in Middlesex County. Rashid previously served as a member of the Piscataway Board of Education before becoming the first Muslim member of the Township Council.

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