Hoboken Moves to Make Immigrant Protections City Law with New ‘Trust Act’

The Hoboken City Council has introduced the “Hoboken Trust Act,” a new law that would officially make the city’s long-standing protections for immigrants part of the local code.

Originally issued as an executive order in 2018, the policy made Hoboken a “Fair and Welcoming City.” Now, Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla and Council Vice President Phil Cohen are pushing to make those protections permanent through legislation.

If passed, the Trust Act would stop city workers and police from helping federal immigration agencies like ICE unless a judge orders it. That means Hoboken staff can’t detain someone for immigration reasons, share private information, or ask about someone’s immigration status—unless the law requires it.

“We want every resident to feel safe talking to the police, using city services, or reporting a crime—no matter where they were born,” said Cohen. “Now is the time to act.”

The law would also ban profiling based on race, immigration status, or language. City services would be available to everyone, and foreign IDs like passports or consular documents would be accepted the same as U.S. ones.

To keep the public informed, the city would have to publish quarterly reports showing if any federal immigration requests were made and how the city responded.

The law also makes it easier for immigrant victims of crime or human trafficking to get help applying for federal U or T visas. City agencies would be required to process those requests within specific deadlines and explain any denials.

A new “Fair and Welcoming City Commission” would be created to oversee the policy and help residents with legal help, translation services, and citizenship support.

The ordinance is now up for review by the City Council. If approved, Hoboken would officially commit to protecting the rights and dignity of all residents, regardless of immigration status.