TRENTON—Immigration and Customs Enforcement is disputing allegations that agents covered security cameras and conducted warrantless arrests during a Feb. 20 operation at a Mercer County auto repair shop. U.S. Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman accused agents of covering security cameras and detaining multiple individuals without judicial authorization during the 8:45 a.m. action at Agudo's Repair Shop on South Olden Avenue.
ICE Acting Field Office Director Arthur J. Wilson Jr. issued a March 4 statement identifying the primary target as Eduardo A. Reyes, a 33-year-old Guatemalan national wanted on a Dec. 4, 2025, warrant for aggravated assault, weapons offenses, assault by auto, leaving the scene of an accident, and endangering an injured victim. Wilson Jr. countered that the agency "did not lead this operation, cover cameras or raid an auto repair shop" and characterized Watson Coleman's claims as "fearmongering" that endangers personnel. He further alleged her statements were part of a "coordinated campaign to incite violence" against immigration officers through misinformation.
The statement marked the first official identification of Reyes and two additional detainees: Cristian Moreno-Posso, a Colombian national with a final removal order from Oct. 2024, and Jorge Luis Lemus Urliz, a Guatemalan who entered without inspection.
Trenton Police officials confirmed the department did not request or direct immigration enforcement and operates under the state's Immigrant Trust Directive. Mayor Reed Gusciora told WHYY that the U.S. Marshals Service effected the initial arrests and subsequently transferred custody to ICE without municipal police involvement.
The confrontation highlights escalating tensions between New Jersey's Democratic congressional delegation and federal immigration authorities amid a statewide debate over enforcement protocols. ICE's rebuttal arrives as the agency reports an 8,000% increase in death threats against personnel and a 1,421% rise in assaults on officers nationwide.
Advocacy group Resistencia en Accion NJ circulated footage and statements alleging that agents used physical force including pressing one man's face against a shelf during the operation. The organization has called for a federal investigation into the tactics employed at the business. ICE maintains that all arrests complied with federal criminal procedure and that immigration detainers were lodged only after the initial criminal warrant execution.
The operation occurred one week after Governor Mikie Sherrill signed Executive Order 12, which restricted federal immigration enforcement on state property, a directive now subject to a separate federal lawsuit by the Department of Justice. That litigation challenges the state's authority to limit federal access to public facilities but does not address operational tactics at private businesses, such as the Trenton auto shop.
Trenton Police indicated that the three detainees were transported to an ICE detention facility following the arrest, though specific locations were not disclosed in public statements.
New Jersey's congressional representatives have increasingly scrutinized ICE operations following reports of enforcement actions near Hudson County transit facilities and a proposed detention facility in Roxbury. Watson Coleman represents the 12th congressional district, which includes Trenton, and has been vocal in opposing the Trump administration's immigration expansion.
The auto shop operation generated conflicting narratives within hours of the arrests, with Resistencia en Accion posting social media footage showing masked agents, while federal authorities remained silent for twelve days before issuing the detailed rebuttal identifying the detainees and charges.
Source List:
- ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark, "ICE sets the record straight..." (March 4, 2026)
- Patch.com, "ICE Agents Detain 3 Workers At Mercer Auto Repair Shop" (Feb. 20, 2026)
- WHYY, "NJ group wants review of immigrant arrests in Trenton" (Feb. 27, 2026)
- NJ1015.com, "What Happened During The Trenton Auto Shop ICE Arrests?" (March 7, 2026)
- NJ.com, "N.J. man charged in hit-and-run arrested after 3-month search" (Feb. 25, 2026)
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