202-18 Exhibit A - Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Application.pdf

State of New Hersey OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY PO Box 080 Jon S. CorzINE TRENTON NJ 08625-0080 Governor ATTORNEY GENERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DIRECTIVE NO, 2007-3 These guidelines shall establish the manner in which local, county, and State law enforcement agencies and officers shall interact with federal immigration authorities. While enforcement of immigration laws is primarily a federal responsibility, State, county, and local law enforcement agencies necessarily and appropriately should inquire about a_ person’s immigration status under certain circumstances. Specifically, after an individual has been arrested for a serious violation of State criminal law, the individual’s immigration status is relevant to his or her ties to the community, the likelihood that he or she will appear at future court proceedings to answer State law charges, and the interest of the federal government in considering immigration enforcement proceedings against an individual whom the State has arrested for commission of a serious criminal offense. When there is reason to believe that the arrestee may be an undocumented immigrant, the arresting agency is responsible for alerting federal immigration officials, the prosecuting agency, and the judiciary. The overriding mission of law enforcement officers in this State is to enforce the State’s criminal laws and to protect the community that they serve. This requires the cooperation of, and positive relationships with, all members of the community. Public safety suffers if individuals believe that they cannot come forward to report a crime or cooperate with law enforcement. Moreover, Article 1, Paragraph 22 of the New Jersey Constitution mandates that “a victim of a crime shall be treated with fairness, compassion and respect by the Criminal Justice System.” Consistent with that constitutional mandate, as well as basic Huaues Justice CoMPLeX @ TELEPHONE: (609) 292-4925 @ Fax: (609) 292-3508 New Jersey Is An Equal Opportunity Employer @ Printed on Recycled Paper and Recyclable ANNE MILGRAM Attorney General