New Jersey mayor calls for release of synagogue custodian detained by ICE

JTA — The custodian of a synagogue in Glen Rock, New Jersey was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, leading the mayor of the northern New Jersey suburb to call for his release.

Jorge Tomas Dagar Aquino, who had been working for the Glen Rock Jewish Center since 2014 and became the center’s full-time maintenance supervisor in 2020, was detained by ICE during an asylum interview on June 16.

Glen Rock Mayor Kristine Morieko condemned Aquino’s detention, asserting that it was “in direct violation of due process and without cause.”

“Over the years, he has become an integral part of our community — not only through his work, but also through his relationships, his kindness, and his quiet contributions to the dignity of their shared space,” Morieko said.

The mayor also called on the Glen Rock community to write hand-signed letters of support for Aquino, who has lived in the United States for over 20 years, and send them to the synagogue.

Morieko did not immediately respond to a request by JTA for an update on Aquino’s arrest. The Glen Rock Jewish Center declined to comment on Aquino’s case, saying that it could jeopardize his immigration proceedings.

Law enforcement take positions on the streets surrounding the federal building during a protest following federal immigration operations in Los Angeles, California, on June 8, 2025. (RINGO CHIU / AFP)

According to the synagogue website, Aquino is originally from Ecuador. He is married with three daughters and two grandchildren.

Aquino’s arrest by immigration enforcement comes as the Trump administration has ordered mass arrests and deportations of undocumented immigrants across the United States.

Last month in California, a volley of immigration raids and detainments sparked mass protests against ICE. As tensions over the protests mounted, rabbis and other Jewish communal leaders in California called for protesters to remain nonviolent.

In February, the governing bodies of the Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist movements joined a lawsuit attempting to block the Trump administration from carrying out ICE raids at houses of worship. But in April, a federal judge sided with the Trump administration in such cases.