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 directly affects public agencies and nonprofit organizations that might receive state funding for such legal aid, blocking direct state payments or funds flowing through contracts or grants. The key mechanism bans all state financial support - whether direct or indirect - for legal help related to immigration detention or deportation cases. The bill takes immediate effect and specifically targets funding that would otherwise support services like those proposed in Governor Murphy's FY2025 budget for Legal Services of New Jersey.
New Jersey's S 1046, the "New Jersey Laken Riley Act," establishes procedures for law enforcement when arresting undocumented immigrants charged with specific serious crimes. It applies to individuals not citizens, lawful residents, or authorized under certain federal programs (like DACA or asylum) who face charges including first-degree crimes, motor vehicle offenses causing injury, or federal aggravated felonies/crimes of violence. The bill requires officers to verify immigration status via DHS; if confirmed as unlawfully present, officers must comply with federal immigration detainers and prosecutors must seek pretrial detention, overriding state bail reform laws. The bill repeals prior state laws restricting immigration enforcement and ends the "Immigrant Trust Directive" that limited cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
This bill (S 369) requires New Jersey law enforcement agencies, courts, and correctional facilities to notify federal immigration authorities within 24 hours when arresting or convicting non-citizens unlawfully present in the U.S. who are charged with specific crimes like violent offenses, drug-related crimes, theft, or robbery. It applies to all law enforcement agencies, sentencing courts, correctional facilities holding convicted non-citizens, and parole/probation officers supervising them. The notification triggers deportation proceedings under federal immigration enforcement. The bill defines "federal immigration authority" as officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, or Homeland Security.
This bill (S 1581) removes a current prohibition in New Jersey law that prevents state/local agencies and private detention facilities from entering agreements to detain noncitizens for immigration violations. It allows these entities to now form contracts, memorandums, or service agreements to house individuals detained for civil immigration matters. The bill amends prior law (P.L.2021, c.199) by deleting restrictions and repealing the existing ban. It directly affects New Jersey state/local governments, county sheriffs, municipalities, and privately operated detention facilities. The change takes effect immediately upon enactment but is currently pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
This bill (S 933) amends New Jersey law to criminalize knowingly harboring or helping an undocumented immigrant who has an outstanding arrest or immigration warrant. It makes this a fourth-degree crime (up to 18 months in prison or $10,000 fine), unless the person helped is a close family member (spouse, parent, child), in which case it becomes a lesser offense. The law also creates an exception: undocumented immigrants who are victims of human trafficking cannot be prosecuted for hindering their own apprehension. It directly affects individuals who knowingly assist undocumented immigrants evading lawful arrest or deportation.
New Jersey's Senate Resolution 26 condemns the federal government's 2025 policy of sharing private taxpayer information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for immigration enforcement. It specifically criticizes a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Treasury Department and Homeland Security that the IRS's own attorneys warned likely violates federal privacy laws requiring tax data confidentiality. The resolution demands the federal government immediately reverse this policy to protect taxpayer privacy and prevent errors like mistaken deportations. It also notes that New Jersey's immigrant community contributed $1.3 billion in state and local taxes in 2022, emphasizing that sharing tax data could deter immigrants from filing taxes.
This bill prohibits New Jersey municipalities from passing ordinances that require local officials to refuse cooperation with federal immigration enforcement requests. It directly affects mayors, city councils, and county officials who might adopt "sanctuary city" policies. The law makes it a misdemeanor for officials to vote for such non-cooperation policies after the bill's effective date, with potential fines up to $1,000, jail time up to one year, or loss of office. It also requires local employees to comply with federal immigration requests as an ethics obligation and provides state defense/indemnification for officials cooperating with federal authorities, barring intentional misconduct.
This bill (S 1571) requires New Jersey's Attorney General to repeal a 2018 law enforcement directive (No. 2018-6) that restricted local police from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. The directive prohibited state and local officers from providing certain assistance to federal immigration officials when the sole purpose was enforcing immigration law, including sharing release dates for detained individuals or extending detention based solely on immigration requests. The bill states this directive threatens public safety and urges its immediate repeal. If passed, it would remove these restrictions, allowing law enforcement to share information with federal immigration authorities as permitted under federal law.
This bill (S 902) would allow New Jersey to enter a federal agreement enabling designated corrections officers to check an inmate’s immigration status *at the time of incarceration*. Specifically, these trained officers would investigate whether an inmate is a lawful U.S. resident and report findings to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if the inmate’s presence is unauthorized under federal law. The agreement would outline required training, reporting protocols, and federal funding for the program. It directly affects inmates in New Jersey state and county correctional facilities and designated corrections officers who volunteer for this role.
New Jersey's S 903 requires state law enforcement officers (specifically the chief law enforcement officer or Superintendent of State Police) to notify federal immigration authorities when a non-citizen applies for a firearms purchaser identification card or handgun purchase permit. This bill amends existing state law by adding a new notification obligation for these specific applications, directly affecting non-citizen residents seeking to purchase or possess firearms. The requirement applies during the standard background check process for firearm permits, where retailers already submit background check information to the State Police. The bill does not change eligibility criteria for permits but mandates an additional reporting step to federal immigration authorities for non-citizen applicants.
