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ICE agents seen making arrests near Jersey City–Hoboken border, officials and witnesses say
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Feb 1, 2026
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Photos courtesy of Jersey City Councilmember Jake Ephros
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Feb 1, 2026
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New Jersey local elected officials are sounding the alarm after federal immigration agents were seen making arrests near the Hoboken and Jersey City border on Sunday morning.
The detentions prompted concern from officials in both cities, who said the arrests took place without warning and have alarmed immigrant communities.
Jersey City Councilmember Jake Ephros said he went to the 9th Street Light Rail Station after hearing reports from constituents about an earlier arrest. There, he said, he witnessed another person being taken into custody.
“I'm so angry,” Ephros said in an interview with Gothamist on Sunday. “This is historically one of the more Latino neighborhoods in the city, and it's no surprise that we've been targeted.”
Ephros recorded videos showing a group of masked officers. In one video, officers handcuff a man and retreat to a nearby elevator. Ephros, who was denied entry into the elevator, said he took the next one up.
A second video shows the officers getting into unmarked vehicles, which then drive off.
While on the elevator, Ephros is heard in the video asking the officers whether they have a warrant or are looking for someone specific.
One masked agent responds, “We’re ICE, clearly we’re marked,” and “There’s nothing that you’re going to say that’s going to prevent us from doing our job.”
The same agent then adds, “We don’t need a warrant, bro. Stop getting that in your head.”
It remains unclear how many arrests took place.
Hoboken Mayor Emily Jabbour said she and Councilmember Joe Quintero also visited the 9th Street station and spoke with witnesses who described seeing at least two people detained by officers in unmarked vehicles.
As of Sunday evening, she said, Hoboken has no further information on the scope of the operation. She confirmed that the city’s police department was not notified in advance and did not assist federal authorities.
“I know how unsettling and frightening this news can feel, especially for our immigrant neighbors,” Jabbour said in a statement. “We remain committed to supporting every resident, regardless of background or immigration status.”
In Jersey City, Mayor James Solomon said his office had confirmed federal immigration enforcement activity in the area and urged residents to know their rights.
“To our immigrant neighbors: You do not have to open your door without a warrant signed by a judge. You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to a lawyer. Do not sign anything you do not understand,” Solomon said in the statement.
He reiterated that under a recently signed executive order, local police are barred from aiding ICE without a judge’s warrant, and city property may not be used for immigration operations.
“We condemn what we saw,” Solomon said. “The videos are disturbing and they show what appears to just be people on their way to work being detained.”
A separate video posted on YouTube on Sunday also appears to show an arrest at the same light-rail station. In that footage, a man on a bicycle attempts to flee before being apprehended by an officer and placed into an unmarked van that drives away.
Ephros and other local leaders said they hosted emergency meetings for constituents Sunday evening in response to the ICE operations.
The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of immigration enforcement tactics nationwide and days after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed banning local police partnerships with ICE in that state.
The Department of Homeland Security did not return a request for comment.
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Catalina Gonella
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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