SHERIFF PROVENZANO & HUGIN: POLITICS ASIDE, SAFETY IS TOP PRIORITY

SOMERVILLE, NJ—In a press conference outside the Somerset County Jail, U.S. Senate candidate Bob Hugin, along with Somerset County Sheriff Frank Provenzano, and other elected officials, today discussed the recent public safety operation by the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to ICE, the operation “focused on individuals illegally present in the U.S. that had been convicted of serious criminal activity,” such as to include sexual assault, child abuse, domestic violence, and Driving Under the Influence (DUI).

“It’s a shame that our public servants at ICE need to issue press releases telling elected officials, like Phil Murphy and Bob Menendez, to knock off the politics and let them do their jobs.  Locking up and domestic abusers and violent criminals should never be a partisan issue,” said Bob Hugin, US Senate candidate. “Here is the bottom line: I support a clear path to citizenship for Dreamers—innocent young people brought here illegally by their parents who are now leading productive lives—and a similarly clear path to jail or deportation for criminal illegals who are putting our communities and families at risk. I am calling on Governor Murphy and Senator Menendez to join me today, pledge their support to ICE, and abandon their reckless Sanctuary State plan that will make New Jersey less safe.”

Hugin and Sheriff Provenzano were joined by Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman and former Assemblywoman Donna Simon.

“As Somerset County Sheriff, keeping the community I serve safe is my highest priority, which is why I applaud ICE’s recent successful public safety operation,” said Sheriff Frank Provenzano. “Law enforcement officials and elected government officials are sworn to uphold the law and protect the communities they serve. Cooperating together to keep our communities safe should be an issue that we all agree is one that is above politics.”

BACKGROUND

• Enforcement and Removal Operations Director is Fed Up: “We will continue to devote the full efforts of our agency to protecting citizens and enforcing federal immigration law despite challenges being pursued by politically motivated individuals.”(ICE, 4/23/18)

• Despite Partisan Politics, ICE Remains Committed to Public Safety “Despite politically driven challenges that certain local jurisdictions have created, ICE remains committed to its public safety mission and will continue to seek out dangerous criminal aliens and other immigration violators. ICE seeks cooperation with all local law enforcement and elected officials when carrying out the enforcement of federal immigration law.” (ICE, 4/23/18)

• 80 percent of those Arrested Were Convicted Criminals “…More than 20 had been issued a final order of removal and failed to depart the United States…Several had prior felony convictions for serious or violent offenses, such as aggravated assault, child abuse, child sex crimes, and assault, or had past convictions for significant or multiple misdemeanors.” (ICE, 4/23/18)

• Sexual Abuse, Child Abuse and More in Our Backyard “Criminal histories of those arrested during the operation are as follows: DUI, domestic violence assault & abuse, child abuse, distribution of cds, sexual assault on a minor, harassment, burglary, possession of a weapon, aggravated assault, shoplifting, theft, forgery, larceny, eluding and illegal entry.” (ICE, 4/23/18)

Bob Hugin, a Marine Corps Veteran and business leader who has created thousands of New Jersey jobs, is seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate to challenge incumbent Democrat Senator Bob Menendez.