Morristown Police Clarify Role After Viral Video of ICE Encounter
Local officials defended their presence at an October immigration enforcement action after a resident alleged she was shoved by a federal officer.
By Jillian Foster ·
Morristown police defended their presence at an immigration enforcement action on Abbett Avenue after a viral video raised questions about their interaction with federal agents. Alexis Mascitti Brown, a 44-year-old retired pediatrician, recorded the scene on Oct. 29 while driving to Mennen Arena for ice skating. She claimed a federal officer in tactical gear shoved her on the sidewalk while local officers watched.
Brown presented her unedited video and account to the city council on Tuesday. She stated that a verbal warning would have sufficed, noting she is 5-foot-2 and weighs 110 pounds. The city police chief and public safety director maintained that officers were responding to a county dispatcher request to manage the crowd. They asserted that local police acted independently to keep the peace between the public and ICE agents, rather than assisting the federal operation.
Police Chief Darnell Richardson said his department did not know ICE was en route. He stated that his officer at the scene did not observe an assault on Brown. Richardson noted that Brown did not file a formal complaint. Public Safety Director Michael Corcoran Jr. said the department follows the state Immigrant Trust Act, which restricts police assistance to ICE in most cases. He added that the city aims to preserve its relationship with the local Latino community while responding to unexpected federal activity.
Council members and residents pressed the administration on the appearance of cooperation. Joseph Bellomo, a retired social studies teacher who helped escort children to school buses that morning, argued that if ICE lacks a warrant, they should provide their own crowd control. He suggested the local police presence eroded public trust. Trink Prinz, a former EMT, described the videos showing collaboration as deeply disturbing. Adam McGovern, an activist with the Project NINJA group, called for more proactive noncooperation with ICE and questioned why officers did not verify federal credentials.
The Department of Homeland Security disputed the local account of events. The agency described its operation as a targeted arrest of a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador and a member of the MS-13 gang. DHS stated that an anti-ICE agitator refused to observe lawful commands. The department denied Brown's assault accusation as categorically false. DHS also noted that its officers face a coordinated campaign of violence and rising death threats.
Mayor Tim Dougherty acknowledged the recurring nature of these incidents in Morristown. He predicted that raids would intensify following the promotion of Stephen Miller to chief of staff. Dougherty described ICE officers as untrained and inhumane, stating that the city's hands are tied in many situations. He expressed a wish that ICE would stay out of the city, while noting that local officials must react to the situation at hand to maintain public safety.
