Statement

New Jersey Has the Power to Protect Immigrant Communities

Concrete state policies can protect families when the federal government won't

By

Published on Jan 28, 2026 in Immigrants' Rights

In response to the killing of a Minnesota resident by ICE agents and escalating federal attacks on immigrant communities, New Jersey Policy Perspective issues the following statement:

Nicole Rodriguez, President, NJPP:

“ICE agents killed Alex Pretti in Minnesota. He was 37, an American citizen, a nurse, someone who should have been safe. He’s not the first person killed by ICE, and communities of color have been bearing the brunt of this violence for years. No one is safe when federal agents operate without accountability. Immigrant families across New Jersey are watching, terrified they’re next. This is what state violence looks like, and it’s exactly why New Jersey must act now to protect our neighbors.

“When the federal government threatens communities instead of supporting them, states have power. New Jersey can limit local law enforcement cooperation with ICE, fund legal defense services for immigrants facing deportation, and ensure that everyone — regardless of immigration status — can access health care, education, and public safety without fear. These aren’t abstract ideas. They’re concrete policies that keep families together and make it harder for federal agents to tear communities apart.

“This is what our work is for. We fight for policies that protect immigrant communities and fix our broken criminal justice system because everyone deserves safety, dignity, and the chance to build a life here. Right now, that means using every tool we have at the state level to stand between our neighbors and a federal government that sees them as targets. New Jersey can do this. We should.”

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Author

  • Nicole Rodriguez, Research Director, is an experienced public policy advocate who researches and advocates for state policy solutions that centers the needs of communities. She is skilled in policy analysis, research, writing, communication, and nonprofit organization and management. Her research interests include labor and economic policy at the intersection of work and family.

    Before joining New Jersey Policy Perspective, Nicole was a Senior Researcher at Community Labor United (CLU), an organization that brings together community and labor partners to speak in one voice on issues that impact working-class families throughout Greater Boston. Specifically, Nicole drove strategic campaigns forward with rigorous research and leadership that stabilize and strengthen low-income families and communities of color.Prior to that, Nicole worked as a Senior Policy Analyst at the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, an independent research organization that produces non-partisan policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state’s economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. Nicole has authored numerous reports focusing on family economic security and the state budget.

    She has also worked for foundations, non-profits, and state and local governments in Massachusetts. She holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University and a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science from Villanova University.

    Email: rodriguez (at) njpp.org | Phone: 609-393-1145 ext. 18
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