BRICK TOWNSHIP-With neighboring communities such as Jackson Township and Berkeley Township officially filing protests against the sanctuary state being created by Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, Brick Township’s lone Republican councilman says his request to follow suit was rejected.
A resolution drafted by Councilman James Fozman called upon the township to officially denounce the Immigrant Trust Directive enacted by Murphy and Grewal that bars local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities, effectively making New Jersey a sanctuary state, an election campaign promise by the Governor.
“Attorney General, Gurbir Grewal, issued a so-called ‘Immigrant Trust Directive’ that severely limits state, county and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal ICE agents,” the resolution read. “The Governing Body of the Township of Brick urges Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Grewal to repeal their Sanctuary State directive and reverse their position with regard to New Jersey becoming a Sanctuary State immediately.”
Fozman said he was upset when his resolution was not added to the township’s official agenda and blame board Democrats who are sympathetic towards the Murphy Administration. Fozman wanted Brick Township to officially declare that it is not a sanctuary city and will never become one.
He asked at this week’s council meeting to submit the resolution for consideration and was shutdown by hi Democrat counterparts. A motion was made by Fozman to read the resolution and have a discussion to consider it, but no other board member would second his request.
For years, Fozman was a Democrat but said he switched parties after the Democrat Party made sweeping shifts to the far left in the past few years.
“The far-left Democrat politicians ignore laws they don’t like,” Fozman said. “They encourage reckless behavior even though they are elected to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the laws of New Jersey.”
“This resolution was about public safety, not identity politics,” he added. “We cannot pick and choose which laws to honor and which laws to ignore.”
Just yesterday, it was announced that an illegal immigrant who killed a 7-year-old boy was released by the Atlantic County correctional system and ICE was not notified.
“Having an imposed sanctuary state is insane,” Fozman said. “It’s an insane policy and anti-America, this has nothing to do with legal immigration.”
Fozman said like all Americans, he and his wife are descendants of immigrants, but their forefathers entered the country legally and followed due process to become legal citizens of the United States.
“We have to think about security first,” he said.
Fozman said he hopes the Democrats that serve with him on the council, including Mayor John Ducey will reconsider and present the resolution for a vote.