This is a symbolic resolution (not a bill), introduced by the New Jersey Assembly. It requests Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform focused on border security and removing undocumented immigrants, citing two Ocean County crimes involving undocumented individuals from Mexico. The resolution specifically asks Congress to expedite removals, increase penalties for smuggling and armed offenses, allow military use for border security, and penalize countries refusing to accept deported nationals. It has no legal force and is solely a statement urging federal action; it was introduced to the Assembly committee on January 13, 2026.
The New Jersey Laken Riley Act requires law enforcement to check the immigration status of non-citizens arrested for specific serious crimes - including violent offenses, certain traffic violations causing injury, or federal "aggravated felonies." If confirmed as unlawfully present, these individuals face a legal presumption of pretrial detention, overriding the state's bail reform law. The bill mandates compliance with federal immigration detainer requests and repeals a prior law prohibiting local jails from holding immigrants for federal authorities. It also rescinds New Jersey's "Immigrant Trust Directive," aligning state procedures with federal immigration enforcement priorities.
This New Jersey bill (A 179) requires correctional facilities to determine if inmates are U.S. citizens or lawfully present in the U.S. If an inmate is not a citizen or lacks legal status, the facility cannot release them to the general public - only to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officials. Facilities must document citizenship status and legal presence for all inmates, and if they cannot verify it, they must assume the inmate is unlawfully present. Violations carry civil penalties set by the Corrections Commissioner. The bill directly affects correctional facilities and non-citizen inmates deemed unlawfully present in the U.S.
This bill prohibits New Jersey state funds from being used to provide legal assistance or services to immigrants facing detention or deportation based on their immigration status. It applies to all state contracts, grants, or funding agreements with public agencies or nonprofit organizations offering such legal help. The law takes immediate effect and blocks funding that would otherwise support legal representation for immigrants in immigration proceedings. It directly affects immigrants seeking legal aid in deportation cases and organizations that provide such services using state resources. The bill does not change immigration law but restricts state financial support for related legal services.
This bill restricts eligibility for new affordable housing units and the state's rental assistance program to households where at least one member has either lived in New Jersey for two consecutive years or worked in the state 35+ hours per week for two consecutive years. It applies to new contractual guarantees or deed restrictions for low/moderate-income housing and updates the state rental assistance program to require these same residency or work history criteria. The key mechanism requires housing providers and the state program to verify these specific residency or employment requirements at the time of application. This affects new affordable housing developments and applicants for state rental aid, but does not change existing housing or programs.
This resolution (ACR 23) expresses the New Jersey Legislature's support for H.R. 7109, the "Equal Representation Act," a federal bill that would require a citizenship question on the U.S. census and change how congressional seats and electoral votes are apportioned. The proposed bill aims to base representation on the U.S. citizen population only, rather than the current method that counts all residents - including noncitizens like undocumented immigrants. Currently, census data used for apportionment includes all people living in the U.S., which supporters argue dilutes representation for citizens in areas with larger noncitizen populations. The resolution itself has no legal effect but formally urges the U.S. Senate to pass H.R. 7109, which the House approved in May 2024.
This bill requires all licensed health care facilities in New Jersey to ask patients about their immigration status and submit monthly, anonymized reports to the Department of Health on the aggregate costs of care provided to individuals defined as "illegal aliens" (those unable to prove lawful presence). Facilities must not collect personal identifying information, and reports will be posted publicly online. Patients who knowingly provide false immigration status information face a fourth-degree crime penalty. The law directly affects health care providers through reporting duties and patients through potential penalties for misrepresentation.
This New Jersey bill (A2779) amends workers' compensation and temporary disability benefit laws to exclude undocumented immigrant workers from eligibility. It specifically modifies the definition of "employee" to deny benefits to individuals who are not lawfully present in the U.S. at the time of injury - meaning undocumented workers would not qualify for these benefits even if injured on the job. The key mechanism adds a new exclusion clause to the eligibility criteria, stating benefits are unavailable to "aliens unless they were lawfully admitted for permanent residence" or otherwise legally present under U.S. immigration law. The bill directly affects undocumented immigrant workers in New Jersey who suffer work-related injuries or disabilities. It has been introduced and referred to the Assembly Labor Committee.
This bill requires New Jersey's Governor, with the Commissioner of Education, to take actions protecting the state's educational resources from federal interference. Specifically, it mandates challenging federal policies limiting state authority over education, supporting efforts to challenge the Supreme Court's *Plyler v. Doe* decision (which guarantees public school access to undocumented children), and backing local initiatives preserving educational resources. The law directly affects New Jersey's public education system, state officials, and students, particularly those in immigrant communities. It establishes a state framework for opposing federal education policies but does not change existing school funding or curriculum rules. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.
This bill requires contractors who must pay the New Jersey prevailing wage (under the Prevailing Wage Act) to verify new employees' work authorization using the federal E-Verify program after June 30, 2025. It mandates random state audits by the Department of Labor and allows penalties of $500-$1,000 per violation, with a 72-hour correction window for first offenses to avoid fines. Contractors found violating the rule may face license suspension or denial of renewal under public works registration rules. The law directly affects public works contractors and aims to ensure compliance with federal work authorization verification.
