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What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?

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What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?


Officials and experts say some witnesses may actually be seeing planes or helicopters rather than drones, or perhaps are confused about the size of the devices they’re seeing.

“There are certainly big drones, such as a agricultural drones, but typically they are not the type you see flying around in urban or suburban spaces,” John Duesler, president of the Pennsylvania Drone Association, said Thursday. The organization with about 350 members, is headquartered in Pittston, Pennsylvania.

“I wonder a little bit if it’s sort of a type of fish story, as in ‘I caught a fish this big!’ type of a thing,” Deusler added. “At night, it’s hard to see how big the drones are, especially because they can be either closer or further away from you. To get that perspective of how big they are is really difficult.”

Who sent the drones?

Authorities say they do not know who is behind the drones.

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The FBI, Homeland Security and state police are investigating the sightings. Authorities say they don’t know if it is one drone that has been spotted many times or if there are multiple aircraft being flown in a coordinated effort.

Speculation has raged online, with some expressing concerns that the drone or drones could be part of a nefarious plot by foreign agents. Officials stress that ongoing state and federal investigations have found no evidence to support those fears.

Two Republican Jersey Shore-area congressmen, Smith and U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, have called on the military to shoot down the drones, citing safety concerns.

The Pentagon insists the drones do not represent a threat from abroad.

Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday that the military’s initial assessment after consulting with the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Council — that the drones are not of foreign origin — remains unchanged.

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Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Wednesday that the aircraft are not U.S. military drones.

Are drones allowed in New Jersey?

The flying of drones for recreational and commercial use is legal in New Jersey, but it is subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions.

Operators must be FAA certified.

Have drones been spotted anywhere else?

Sightings also have been reported in neighboring New York and Pennsylvania.

Drones were also spotted last month in the U.K. The U.S. Air Force said several small unmanned aircraft were detected near four military bases in England that are used by American forces.

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Associated Press reporters Tara Copp in Washington, D.C., and Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contributed.



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N.J. group demands review of Trenton immigration arrest operation at auto shop

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N.J. group demands review of Trenton immigration arrest operation at auto shop


U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-Mercer, said in a statement on Facebook that she has been briefed about the incident and her office is monitoring the situation.

Pazmino said her organization is calling on members of the community to come together.

“Brown and Black immigrant communities and nonimmigrant communities are welcome, and should be uniting against this force,” she said.

She is also calling on local officials to assist relatives of those taken into custody.

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“We need to support families affected by these kidnappings, with mutual aid, donations and anything else you think will help each other,” Pazmino said.

A woman identified as Andrea, while holding her 1-year-old daughter, Genesis, tearfully spoke in Spanish about the anguish she feels and her fears about the future without her husband Christian, one of the men taken into custody. A friend, who translated her word into English, said Christian was a good and honest man.

“If he used to see a neighbor carrying something heavy, he would run to help them. If a friend needed a favor, he didn’t ask, he just did it,” she said.

Andrea (left) whose husband, Christian, was taken into custody during a raid on a Trenton auto repair shop, holds her 1-year-old daughter, Genesis, while translator Ashley Batz reads her statement in English. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

She said “his daughter was his whole world. He would wake up to her and give her kisses every morning. He would play with her after a long day at work. He loved us and protected us. He didn’t do anything wrong, so why was he taken?”

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The Rev. Erich Kussman, St. Bartholomew’s pastor, said the entire Lutheran Church stands with the family.

“Anything you need, you can come to us. I want you to know that. I will stand with you, and we will do what we can to protect you, because that’s the call of the gospel of Jesus Christ,” he said.

“Standing with ICE is antithetical to the gospel of Jesus Christ, hands down,” he added. “Fifty-one times the scriptures tell us to welcome the immigrant and foreigner as one of our own. If you’re not living true to that gospel, the words of Christ himself, you are not a Christian, no matter what you claim to be.”

With immigration enforcement activity on the rise in New Jersey, lawmakers have proposed several bills to expand protections for immigrant communities. One measure called the “Fight Unlawful Conduct and Keep Individuals and Communities Empowered Act” would allow individuals to file a lawsuit against ICE agents who violate their constitutional rights.

Asma Elhuni speaking at a podium
Asma Elhuni, an organizer with Resistencia En Acción NJ speaks at a press conference at St. Bartholomew Lutheran Church in Trenton, joined by pastor Erich Kussman. The group was responding to the detention of three workers at Agudo’s Repair Shop on Feb. 20, 2026. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

Another proposed bill would require any business that operates a private prison or detention facility in the state to pay a tax equal to 50% of the taxpayer’s gross receipts derived from the operation of the facility during the previous year. The bill also stipulates all revenues generated would go to an “immigration protection fund.”

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Recently proposed legislation would prohibit ICE agents from ever holding a public job in the Garden State, and New Jersey U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and Andy Kim are proposing legislation to prevent new funding for the Department of Homeland Security from being used to purchase a warehouse in Roxbury, New Jersey.

Requests for comment from ICE and the U.S. Marshals Service were not immediately returned.



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Spring’s coming; Sunny, warm Saturday and significant warm-up ahead NJ

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Spring’s coming; Sunny, warm Saturday and significant warm-up ahead NJ


A brief respite from cold weather is ahead of New Jersey this weekend, before temperatures continue to rise late next week, according to the National Weather Service.

Saturday, Feb. 28 will be sunny across the Garden State, and temperatures will be comfortable, reaching the high 40s and low 50s.

Then, a brief artic cold front is expected to move into the region late on Saturday night, bringing temps to low 30’s and some scattered snow showers on Sunday, especially in North Jersey.

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During the week, a couple low pressure systems are in the NWS forecast. Little snow if any is expected from these systems, especially in the late week, when a significant warm-up is expected.

Asbury Park and Monmouth County weekend weather forecast

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45.

Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33.

Sunday: Partly sunny and a chance of snow before 1 p.m. The high should be near 39. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 22.

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Wildwoods and Atlantic County weather forecast

Saturday: Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 56.

Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.

Sunday: Partly sunny and a slight chance of rain before 1 p.m. The high should be near 44. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 19.

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Newark and Essex County weather forecast

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.

Saturday night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 32.

Sunday: Cloudy and scattered snow showers before 1 p.m. Then gradual clearing of skies, with a high near 39. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 17.

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Juan Carlos Castillo is a New Jersey-based trending reporter for the USA Today Network. Find him on Twitter at _JCCastillo.



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Winning numbers drawn in Thursday’s New Jersey Pick 6 Double Play

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Winning numbers drawn in Thursday’s New Jersey Pick 6 Double Play


The winning numbers in Thursday’s drawing of the “New Jersey Pick 6 Double Play” game were:

8, 23, 29, 34, 43, 45

(eight, twenty-three, twenty-nine, thirty-four, forty-three, forty-five)

For more lottery results, go to Jackpot.com | Order Lottery Tickets

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