Immigrants drive economic growth in New Jersey, and keeping New Jersey immigrants safe in their communities makes the state stronger as a result.
Nearly 1 in 3 New Jersey workers are immigrants, as are nearly 1 in 3 nurses and half of Main Street business owners. As one of the most diverse states in the nation, more than 4 in 10 children in New Jersey have an immigrant parent. Immigrants in New Jersey form the very lifeblood of its communities, its schools, its Main Streets.
As draconian and indiscriminate federal immigration enforcement has increased, immigrant New Jerseyans have faced arrest and detention, but they have been protected by the existing Immigrant Trust Directive, which delineates how local and state government interact with federal immigration enforcement.
Without being able to trust local government, schools, and health care facilities, immigrant families and workers in New Jersey would increasingly be excluded from the state they call home. Fear created by immigration enforcement already deters participation in children’s health insurance programs, tax filing, and food security programs.
When it comes to the success of the state, protecting immigrant families is not negotiable; it is instead a necessary piece for a thriving state.
