North Bergen Mayor: 'Stop ICE Enforcement'

North Bergen's new mayor, Hugo Cabrera, called on the Trump administration to halt U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforcement, citing the results of the midterm elections held Tuesday, Nov. 3. He urged Hudson County elected officials to carry that demand to Washington together. Hudson County View reported the news on the morning of Thursday, Nov. 5.

According to Hudson County View, North Bergen's new mayor, Hugo Cabrera, called on the Trump administration to halt U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforcement, citing the results of Tuesday's midterm elections. Cabrera made the statement in a message congratulating the winners right after the election. He urged Hudson County elected officials to take the demand to Washington together.

In the statement, Cabrera called the election a "historic midterm" and congratulated Democratic winners by name, including County Commissioner Bob Baselice, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez. He went on to argue that communities with large Hispanic populations, such as North Bergen, have been plagued by ICE enforcement. He said residents are tired of racial profiling (targeting based on race or appearance) and of enforcement aimed at their neighbors, and described those residents as people who work hard, pay taxes and try to build a better life for their families.

Cabrera took office eight days ago after Nick Sacco Sr., who had served as mayor for 35 years, retired. Sacco Sr.'s son, Nick Sacco Jr., took over Cabrera's former post as the commissioner overseeing parks and public facilities. North Bergen's Board of Commissioners has remained critical of ICE, including publicly pushing back last month over agents questioning students.

Menendez also spoke out on the issue of students being questioned, as did state Assemblyman Larry Wainstein (D-33rd District), who is likely to challenge Cabrera next May. Hudson County View reported that Menendez has made clear he wants ICE abolished. The outlet predicted that, with Democrats entering the U.S. House and Senate next year as the majority by a wide margin, ICE funding is very likely to be cut soon.