Bills aimed at restricting indiscriminate immigration enforcement in New Jersey have passed the state legislature in large numbers, bringing them to the brink of enactment. On the 23rd, the New Jersey State Senate and Assembly each held plenary sessions and successively passed three bills designed to protect New Jersey immigrants from the Trump administration’s large-scale immigration crackdowns.
With this, only the signature of New Jersey Governor Mikey Sherrill remains for final legislation. Governor Sherrill’s office has stated that it intends to sign the bills, indicating that the countdown to legislation has begun. These bills had previously passed the state legislature last January but were discarded after former Governor Phil Murphy exercised his veto power. However, they were passed this time after the legislature revised certain provisions and resumed discussions.
The immigrant protection bills passed this time include:
▲ legislation of “Immigrant Trust Guidelines” prohibiting cooperation between local police and federal immigration authorities (A-4071);
▲ a bill prohibiting government agencies and medical facilities from requesting or collecting residents’ immigration status, birthplace, and Social Security numbers (A-4070); and
▲ a bill banning law enforcement officers, including ICE agents, from wearing masks while on duty in New Jersey (A-1743).
Among these, Korean-American State Assemblywoman Ellen Park co-sponsored the legislation of Immigrant Trust Guidelines and the bill prohibiting public agencies from requesting and collecting residents’ personal information. Regarding these bills, some Republican state legislators are pushing back, arguing that they disregard the authority of the federal government and prioritize politics over public safety.
Meanwhile, Governor Cheryl is actively pushing forward with immigrant protection policies, having already expressed support for banning ICE agents from wearing masks and enacting immigrant trust guidelines into law. Governor Cheryl filed a lawsuit in federal court on the 20th to block the Trump administration’s plan to convert a warehouse in Roxbury, New Jersey, into a large-scale immigrant detention facility.