Congressman Jeff Van Drew, a U.S. Representative from New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District, posted a series of tweets on April 16, 2026, criticizing sanctuary policies and their impact on crime involving undocumented immigrants.
In his first tweet at 19:30 UTC, Van Drew stated: “These families should still have their children. But sanctuary policies allowed illegal immigrants to take their lives. They were failed by the very people sworn to protect them.”
Later that evening at 20:11 UTC, he referenced a specific case: “Laura Wilkerson’s 18-year-old son, Joshua, was brutally murdered by an illegal immigrant—beaten with a wooden rod, his hands and feet bound, his body set on fire, and left in a field. Her family will never be the same. All in the name of sanctuary policies.”
At 21:12 UTC on the same day, Van Drew further criticized political opponents for their response to such incidents: “Democrats looked grieving mothers in the eye, and tried to change the subject. They don’t want these stories told because they know where the blame leads.”
Sanctuary policies refer to local or state-level measures that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement authorities. These policies are designed to encourage trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement but have been contentious topics in national debate regarding public safety and immigration policy.
Van Drew’s statements highlight ongoing tensions over how best to address crime associated with undocumented immigrants while balancing community relations and law enforcement priorities.
