Illegal Alien Fleeing ICE Crashes Into Innocent Driver, Igniting Push to End Sanctuary Laws

On September 2, 2026, a driver fleeing an ICE vehicle stop in North Brunswick, New Jersey, ran a red light and crashed into a car driven by Dr. Penelope Cohen. She suffered a leg injury and was taken to the hospital. ICE apprehended the driver after the crash.

The driver is responsible for fleeing and causing the collision. The incident also raises a separate public safety question: Should New Jersey limit when state and local police can cooperate with ICE?

What Is New Jersey’s Immigrant Trust Directive?

New Jersey’s Immigrant Trust Directive limits the voluntary assistance state and local law enforcement can provide to federal immigration authorities, including ICE. It allows cooperation in specified circumstances. Governor Mikie Sherrill signed legislation codifying the directive on March 25, 2026.

The crash does not establish that the directive caused the driver to flee or prevented police from responding. But it shows how quickly fleeing an immigration enforcement stop can endanger someone else. New Jersey should review whether its restrictions make it harder for law enforcement agencies to work together when public safety is at stake.

Officers enforcing immigration law should be able to count on meaningful cooperation from state and local authorities. New Jersey lawmakers should reconsider restrictions that stand in the way of that cooperation.

Tell your lawmakers: Support ICE. End sanctuary policies. Put public safety first.

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