Full Breakdown
New Jersey Mayor Calls for Sanctuary Policy Rollback After Infant Death
9/6/2026, 6:15:01 AM
Tragic Crash Prompts Policy Demand
In late August, a vehicle driven by Maria Cobon-Guzman, a 20-year-old Guatemalan national without a driver’s license, struck a mother pushing a stroller in the parking lot of a kosher grocery store in Jackson Township. The infant, 9 months old, died and the mother and her 5-year-old child were critically injured. Cobon-Guzman was charged with manslaughter, and Ariadna Lazaro-Flores, who allowed her to drive, was charged with endangering the welfare of an incompetent person. Both women entered the United States illegally; Lazaro-Flores was removed five times in October 2023, and Cobon-Guzman received an order of removal from an immigration judge on July 31.
Background on the Immigrant Trust Directive
New Jersey’s Immigrant Trust Directive, adopted in 2018 under former Gov. Phil Murphy, generally prohibits police from inquiring about immigration status or notifying U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when releasing individuals from custody. Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed legislation codifying the directive in March and an executive order in February that restricts ICE operations on state property without a judicial warrant. Supporters argue the policy builds trust with immigrant communities, encouraging victims and witnesses to report crimes without fear of immigration enforcement.
Official Responses
Dan Prochilo, spokesperson for the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, defended the directive, noting that “such notice has been provided regularly in appropriate cases by New Jersey law-enforcement agencies since the Immigrant Trust Directive took effect in 2019.” He added that jails and prisons may notify ICE when a suspect is charged with or convicted of certain violent or serious crimes, including assault, stalking, criminal sexual contact, arson and burglary, or when a felony conviction occurred within the past five years. The governor’s office was not reached for comment.
Verbatim Quotes
- “If our police pull somebody over and they're undocumented... they can't call the federal agencies, they can't call ICE. That needs to change,” — Jennifer Kuhn, the mayor of Jackson Township
- “I know that there's other towns around in Ocean County and in other counties that are also doing the same. Something needs to change,” — Jennifer Kuhn, the mayor of Jackson Township
- “Such notice has been provided regularly in appropriate cases by New Jersey law enforcement agencies since the Immigrant Trust Directive took effect in 2019,” — Dan Prochilo
