Testimony

Protecting New Jersey’s Immigrants Keeps the State’s Communities and Main Streets Thriving

Testimony from NJPP Senior Policy Analyst Peter Chen in support of protecting New Jersey's immigrant families.

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Published on Jan 5, 2026 in Immigrants' Rights

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.

Author

  • Peter Chen, Senior Policy Analyst, has worked on child and family policy advocacy in New Jersey since 2014. Most recently, he coordinated New Jersey’s nonprofit campaign for a complete count of the 2020 Census. Additionally, Peter has written reports on topics including: childhood lead poisoning prevention, chronic absenteeism from school, teacher certification, and summer meals.

    Prior to New Jersey Policy Perspective, Peter was Policy Counsel at Advocates for Children of New Jersey, where he also served as a Skadden Fellow from 2014-16. Peter received his JD from Yale Law School and his Bachelors of Arts from Indiana University-Bloomington. He served as a law clerk for Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
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