Bridgeton Immigrants Fearful as ICE Crackdown Turns City Into 'Ghost Town'

Longtime residents without criminal records are being detained, leaving families struggling and businesses suffering in this diverse South Jersey community.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

In the small city of Bridgeton, New Jersey, where 60% of residents are Latino, immigrant families are avoiding school, work, and medical appointments out of fear of ICE enforcement actions. Local leaders say the heightened ICE presence has turned the once-vibrant community into a 'ghost town', with businesses suffering and families torn apart as longtime residents without criminal records are detained and deported.

Why it matters

Bridgeton has relied on its immigrant population to revitalize the city after decades of economic decline, with Latino-owned businesses and workers helping to breathe new life into the community. The aggressive ICE crackdown is now threatening to unravel this progress, damaging the social fabric and economic health of the city.

The details

Since December, ICE agents have been noticeably active in Bridgeton, detaining undocumented immigrants, including fathers and workers with no criminal records, during routine activities like dropping off children at school or waiting in line at a food pantry. Advocates say the immigrants being targeted are not violent offenders, but rather hardworking individuals who are essential to the local economy and community. The detentions have left families struggling, with children blaming themselves and wives having to take on extra work to support their detained husbands.

  • In mid-December, CATA, a migrant farmworker support group, first noticed an uptick in ICE activity in Bridgeton.
  • On December 12, ICE agents detained Rene Dominguez Facundo, a 30-year-old undocumented immigrant from Mexico, just two weeks before his wife gave birth to their first child.
  • In January, ICE agents allegedly detained several people who were waiting in a Salvation Army parking lot to collect food from the charity's pantry.

The players

Rene Dominguez Facundo

A 30-year-old undocumented immigrant from Mexico who has lived in the U.S. for 13 years, graduated from Bridgeton High School, and has no criminal record. He was detained by ICE just before the birth of his first child.

Jessica Morales

The sister of Rene Dominguez Facundo, who has been raising money to help fight for his release from the detention facility in Mississippi where he is being held.

Bridgeton City Council

The city council has expressed concerns about the ICE enforcement actions, stating that they have left the community fearful and anxious, with residents avoiding essential daily activities.

CATA (El Comité de Apoyo a los Trabajadores Agrícolas)

A migrant farmworker support group that first noticed the uptick in ICE activity in Bridgeton in mid-December and is working to connect detained immigrants' families with resources.

Rev. Matthew R. Weber

The pastor of the Parish of the Holy Cross, a Catholic community in Bridgeton, who has witnessed the impact of the ICE crackdown on immigrant families in the city.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Every week that ICE has been in our area, it's like a ghost town now. Everybody's really scared. And then that kind of makes me scared at the same time.”

— Jessica Morales, Sister of Rene Dominguez Facundo (pennlive.com)

“He's not removing criminals. He's removing fathers that are maintaining families and taking care of sick loved ones and dropping their kids off at school.”

— Jessica Culley, Immigrant advocate and general coordinator of CATA (pennlive.com)

“I just don't like the hard, aggressive approach. Someone who is undocumented shouldn't automatically be branded a criminal.”

— Rev. Matthew R. Weber, Pastor, Parish of the Holy Cross (pennlive.com)

What’s next

The judge in Rene Dominguez Facundo's case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow him out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the devastating impact of the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement policies on tight-knit communities like Bridgeton, where immigrant families are essential to the local economy and social fabric. The crackdown is tearing apart families, damaging businesses, and eroding trust in law enforcement, raising urgent questions about the balance between public safety and human dignity.