At a town hall on Wednesday, U.S. Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) discussed constituent concerns regarding immigration, U.S. involvement abroad, and the affordability crisis at the Suzanne Patterson Center in Princeton.
Watson Coleman represents New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District, which includes Princeton.
“[Watson Coleman’s] title is representative,” said Mike Shanahan, Communications Director for Watson Coleman, in an interview with The Daily Princetonian before the event. “She represents them. But to do that effectively, she needs to know what they’re thinking, how they’re feeling about any number of issues.”
At 6 p.m., Watson Coleman entered the room to light applause. “A lot’s been happening out here, and I just felt like I needed to connect,” she said.
The event was live-streamed on Facebook, and attendees were asked beforehand what they were interested in hearing about.
“Overwhelmingly, most of the questions were concerns about ICE and the uptick in ICE activities, both in Minneapolis, but also here recently in Princeton,” Shanahan told the ‘Prince.’ In Princeton, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has conducted several raids since July 2024 and has detained at least 18 people. Most recently, ICE detained two men in Princeton on Jan. 15.
In her opening remarks, Watson Coleman referenced the need to lower the cost of living and increase access to healthcare, recent tensions surrounding Greenland and U.S. involvement in Venezuela, and a collective responsibility to help rebuild Gaza. She also touched on concerns surrounding ICE.
“The guns that are pointed at our nation’s so-called enemies, well, they eventually are turned around and they’re aimed at the people in our community,” Watson Coleman said.
Watson Coleman has been a vocal critic of ICE presence in American neighborhoods, even going to Delaney Hall, an immigration detention facility in Newark, last May to “conduct oversight,” which led to physical confrontations with ICE agents.
“They tell us that there is this quiet quota of deporting 3000 people per day … there’s no way that we can reach that number by going after violent criminals,” Watson Coleman said. “Their ICE, not my ICE, is going about taking American citizens, legal immigrants, undocumented but safe community supporters, immigrants who just want to make a living and take care of their families… and in the process of doing it, we’ve seen them kill innocent Americans.”
The congresswoman also called for the impeachment of Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem. She further advocated for the abolition of ICE and dismantlement of the Department of Homeland Security.
“[ICE] has too much power. It doesn’t understand its obligations. It doesn’t understand its responsibility,” Watson Coleman said.
She spent the majority of the town hall answering questions from community members. The questions ranged from affordable housing to her recent decision to not run for reelection in 2026. The ballot to succeed Watson Coleman is crowded, with at least a dozen candidates running, including a Princeton professor. Watson Coleman said does not plan to endorse anybody in the primary, describing the race for the Democratic nomination as “family fights.” However, she did say she was looking to share an opportunity for people in the district to get to know all the candidates.
Upon hearing about this opportunity from a fellow town hall attendee, Michele Graczyk, a Plainsboro resident, signed up to volunteer for door-to-door campaigning for the upcoming elections. Brenda Bray, a Princeton resident, was similarly moved to action.
“When there’s an opportunity to support what has to be done, I want to come. I want to hear, and I want to help. I was glad to see Bonnie and hear everyone’s questions and what everyone’s willing to do to help make change for the better,” Bray said. “I feel very motivated.”
Elizabeth Hu is a staff News writer from Houston, Texas. She can be reached at eh9203[at]princeton.edu.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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