On January 11, 2026, residents, activists, and elected officials assembled outside City Hall in Jersey City, New Jersey, to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good. Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was killed earlier that week by an ICE agent during a federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. The gathering focused on condemning ICE violence and urging immediate legislative and local action to protect immigrant communities.
The rally was organized by Spirit of Liberation Jersey City, alongside North New Jersey Democratic Socialists of America, Knitty Gritty JC, Estamos Unidos, CAIR Action NJ, Party for Socialism and Liberation NJ, and Food Not Bombs JC. Hundreds of attendees filled the area outside City Hall, voicing opposition to deportations, militarized enforcement, and what organizers described as growing fear among immigrants.
- A rally was held outside Jersey City Hall on January 11, 2026, following the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, in Minneapolis.
- Local and state officials pledged to strengthen sanctuary city policies and advance immigrant protection legislation in New Jersey.
- Speakers detailed expanded ICE enforcement, shared personal accounts of deportation and fear, and highlighted pending bills A6308, A6309, and A6310.
Organizers Address ICE Presence, Federal Power, and Community Harm
Spirit of Liberation organizer Paul Jaigua served as emcee and outlined concerns about the scale and reach of ICE operations. He pointed to ICE’s multi-billion-dollar budget and its coordination with the U.S. military in cities including New York City, Chicago, and Atlanta, while also monitoring sanctuary cities such as Jersey City. Jaigua connected Renee Good’s death to her actions in defense of immigrant neighbors and warned that federal authorities were portraying her in a manner inconsistent with those actions.
Jaigua also addressed enforcement actions involving visa holders and green card holders, referencing individuals such as Mahmoud Khalil and Kilmar Abrego Garcia. These cases involved detention lasting weeks or months and were framed as part of a broader federal strategy affecting people beyond undocumented communities.
Carissa Cunningham of the Democratic Socialists of America spoke about opposition to ICE enforcement becoming routine. She linked calls to abolish ICE with broader demands for public resources to support community needs rather than incarceration and militarization, while urging residents to protect one another.
City and State Officials Commit to Sanctuary Policies and Legislative Action
Jersey City Mayor-elect James Solomon connected Good’s killing to federal immigration policies associated with former President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. He warned that deploying masked and poorly trained federal agents in local communities leads to deadly outcomes. Solomon announced that his first action as mayor will be signing an executive order requiring citywide training on Jersey City’s sanctuary city status.
Solomon also referenced Jersey City’s historical connection to Ellis Island and framed immigrant communities as central to the city’s strength, pledging continued local government support.
Assemblyman-elect for Legislative District 32 and outgoing Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla attended the rally and referenced similar actions taken during his tenure in Hoboken, where the city was designated as fair and welcoming. He connected protest activity with legislative and governmental action at the city, county, state, and federal levels, and pointed to constitutional protections that apply to all people on U.S. soil regardless of immigration status.
Assemblywoman-elect Katie Brennan of Legislative District 32 attended and identified immigrant protection legislation as a priority when she takes office. She addressed the risks posed by armed federal agents operating without accountability and committed to pursuing justice for Renee Good, supporting the Immigrant Trust Act, and advancing related legislative efforts.
Personal Accounts Connect Enforcement to Deportation and Fear
Ward B Councilman-Elect Joel Brooks shared his background as someone born in Honduras and linked migration to economic conditions in migrants’ home countries. He referenced the Central American Free Trade Agreement, which allows multinational corporations in Honduras to pay workers below the national minimum wage. Brooks also recounted the deportation of a Ward B father and union member, describing the individual’s intention to build a stable life before being removed from the country. Brooks is committed to working with the incoming city council and administration to strengthen sanctuary city protections.
Ward D Councilman-Elect Jake Ephros referred to prior demonstrations supporting hunger-striking ICE detainees at the Hudson County Correctional Facility before the county ended its ICE contract. He connected those efforts to broader organizing strategies aimed at challenging ICE operations and supporting affected families, including those in the Heights.
District 5 Hudson County Commissioner candidate Ron Bautista, a former undocumented immigrant, spoke about the fear experienced by residents concerned about being detained by ICE. He referenced his father’s fear of incarceration and being treated as a criminal despite seeking to provide for his family. Bautista called for local officials to move beyond non-cooperation and actively prevent federal abductions, at the same time as encouraging continued community organizing.
Ward E Councilwoman-Elect Eleana Little read the names of individuals who have died as a result of ICE actions. She described patterns involving unmarked vehicles, arrests at legal asylum hearings, and the shooting death of Renee Good, identifying these actions as evidence of unchecked federal enforcement practices.
Legislative Focus and Ongoing Organizing Efforts
The rally centered on support for three bills moving through the New Jersey Legislature: A6308, A6309, and A6310. The legislation seeks to restrict the use of state and local resources in assisting ICE, expand rights and due process protections for immigrants, and create oversight mechanisms for federal immigration agents operating in New Jersey. The bills advanced through legislative committees the previous week and are scheduled for consideration by the full Legislature on Monday. Organizers acknowledged opposition from many state Republicans and criticism from the Trump administration, which has argued that such measures place federal agents at risk.
State Senator Raj Mukherji of Legislative District 32 and a Spirit of Liberation organizer, identified as Shiryn, brought the rally to a close. Attendees were directed toward local rapid response networks and mutual aid efforts, including organizing at Delaney Hall, where volunteers are supporting immigrants facing detention or violence.
