Franklin's Resolution on Immigration Enforcement, Explained

The short version

On February 24, 2026 the Council adopted Resolution 26-112, as amended, 8–0. It bars federal use of non-public township property for civil immigration enforcement unless there is a judicial warrant or judicial order.
It is a resolution, not an ordinance. It does not limit criminal-law enforcement or joint task forces that state rules allow.
On December 9, 2025 the Council adopted Resolution 25-511, 7–0, supporting the proposed New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act. The Township Manager said it “does not change local laws.”
Residents spoke on the subject seven times at three meetings, November 10 to December 9, 2025. No one spoke on it the night Res. 26-112 was adopted.

What Resolution 26-112 does

Its title: “Barring the Federal Government from Using Township-Owned and Township-Controlled Land, Property Spaces, Facilities, Equipment and Resources for Federal Civil Immigration Enforcement.”

The bar. Except under a judicial warrant or judicial order, township departments “shall not permit or consent to” federal immigration officers entering non-public areas of township property for civil immigration enforcement, or using township property as “a staging area, processing location, or operations base” for it.
What it leaves in place. Enforcement of criminal law; joint task forces permitted by the Attorney General’s Immigrant Trust Directive; and public access to the public areas of township property.
Its stated basis. The recitals cite Attorney General Directive 2018-6, the Immigrant Trust Directive, as “upheld in federal court,” and the constitutional bar on the federal government commandeering local governments.
Staff. It directs that relevant staff be made aware of it and “trained.”

How it was adopted. It came up as a Council Discussion Item on February 24, 2026. A motion to amend it carried 8–0 (mover Anbarasan, seconder Uddin), and the motion to “Adopt Resolution #26-112, As Amended” carried 8–0 (same mover and seconder). Ayes: Anbarasan, Kharazi, Kramer, Onyejiaka, Singh, Uddin, Vassanella and Wright. Ms. Francois was absent. The minutes print the resolution as amended but do not show what the amendment changed. One member of the public spoke that night, on snow removal.

The resolution that came first: Res. 25-511

Resolution 25-511, “Supporting the New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act (S3672/A4987),” “expresses its strong support” for the bill, which it describes as codifying “the existing Immigrant Trust Directive into permanent law,” and urges the Legislature and Governor Phil Murphy to enact it. Copies were directed to the Governor, the Senate President, the Assembly Speaker, the district’s three legislators, the County Commissioners, the Latino Action Network, ACLU-NJ and the NJ Alliance for Immigrant Justice.

It was adopted on December 9, 2025 on the consent agenda, 7–0 (mover Francois, seconder Uddin). Ayes: Francois, Kharazi, Kramer, Onyejiaka, Uddin, Vassanella and Wright. Mr. Anbarasan and Mr. Potosnak were absent.

What residents and officials said

November 10, 2025. Linda Powell asked for a “Draft resolution in support of immigrant trust act” (the action notes’ wording).
November 25, 2025. Kathryn Hahn, Tony Favour and Javahn Walker “urged the Council to adopt a resolution supporting the Immigrant Trust Act pending in Trenton, citing ICE activities impacting legal residents and raids at hospitals and schools; emphasized trust to ensure community cooperation with local police.” Another resident, not named in the minutes, asked for a township resolution supporting immigrants, citing Highland Park and New Brunswick. The minutes record that the “Mayor noted the Immigrant Trust Act resolution was not on the agenda and would discuss it with Counsel,” and that Ms. Francois “voiced support of Immigrant Trust Act resolution and proposed adoption at next meeting.” Five members were present.
December 9, 2025. Beverly Lawson “questioned Resolution #25-511 …, asking if it makes Franklin a sanctuary town, what its financial impact is, and how police would handle ICE warrants.” Linda Powell “supported the Immigrant Trust Act, stating it protects residents and police from federal overreach.” Township Manager Robert Vornlocker said the resolution “only expresses the Council’s support for pending legislation and does not change local laws,” and that the police impact “is expected to be minimal, as they already operate under the Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Directive 201806.”
February 24, 2026. No speaker on the subject.

The residents’ accounts of enforcement activity are reported as they said them; the township record does not document specific incidents in Franklin.

Immigration and the license-plate cameras

At the August 11, 2026 presentation on the police Flock cameras, township staff said “New Jersey law strictly prohibits sharing ALPR data for civil immigration enforcement” and that filters block such searches. The police transparency portal lists “Immigration enforcement” among prohibited uses. Joycelyn William (August 11) and Sanchi Sharma (October 13) raised immigration tracking in their comments on the cameras. See license-plate cameras.

June 9, 2026. The Council proclaimed June 2026 Immigrant Heritage Month.
September 8, 2026. The Council approved 24-hour on-demand interpretation services for the Police Department (Res. 26-378), at $0.42 a minute for Spanish and $0.52 for other “high-diffusion” languages.

What is not known

What the February 24, 2026 amendment changed; the original text on the agenda would show it.
Whether departments have issued the staff guidance and training the resolution directs.
Whether the Immigrant Trust Act (S3672/A4987) became law; that is outside the township record.
Whether the Police Department has a written policy on the Immigrant Trust Directive beyond the Manager’s December 9, 2025 remarks.

What residents can do

Read the resolutions. Both are printed in the Council minutes for December 9, 2025 and February 24, 2026.
Speak at a Council meeting: November 10, November 24 and December 8, 2026, 7:00 p.m., 475 DeMott Lane.
Ask the Township Clerk for the agenda version of Res. 26-112 and any guidance issued under it.