This bill prohibits New Jersey state, county, and municipal governments from using public funds or property to build, operate, or support immigrant detention facilities. It specifically bans spending money to construct or renovate facilities, leasing public property to private entities for detention use, subsidizing privately owned detention centers, and paying for the detention costs of individuals in privately operated facilities. The legislation allows local and state governments to continue providing health and safety resources to people detained in these facilities while restricting financial and property support for their operation.
New Jersey bill A 3144 directs the Attorney General to create a formal agreement with federal authorities, enabling specific corrections officers to check inmates' immigration status at the time of incarceration. Only officers who volunteer, are approved by their employers, and complete required training would be designated for this role. If an inmate is found to be in the U.S. without legal authorization, officers would report this to federal immigration authorities (ICE), but they cannot take enforcement action themselves. The agreement would also outline training, federal funding for costs, and clarify legal protections for officers acting under this program. The bill is pending in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
This bill imposes three new fees on private prison operators in New Jersey. Operators with government contracts must pay 8% of the contract value annually, while all operators must pay $15 per inmate per day detained at their facility. Non-S corporation operators must also pay a 3% surtax on their taxable income. Revenue from these fees will fund two programs: legal services for detained and deported individuals, and community initiatives including food security, housing, job training, and youth mentorship.
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 imposes a 50% tax on gross receipts from contracts between private companies and public entities for operating carceral facilities in New Jersey (e.g., private jails or detention centers). It directly affects private businesses running such facilities, requiring them to pay the tax annually based on their prior year’s revenue from these contracts. All tax revenue must be deposited into a new "Immigrant Protection Fund," which the state will use exclusively to fund immigration-related services. The fund is non-lapsing, meaning money stays available for future appropriations without annual renewal.
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.
S 3616 would impose a 50% tax on the annual revenue earned by private companies operating facilities that detain individuals for legal violations (such as immigration or criminal offenses) under contracts with government entities. The tax applies to all money received from these public contracts, calculated as 50% of gross receipts, starting January 1, 2027. All tax revenue would be deposited into a new "Immigrant Protection Fund" managed by the state Treasury. This fund must be used annually to support immigration-related services in New Jersey, including legal assistance and community programs for immigrants.
This bill prohibits New Jersey state and local governments (including counties and municipalities) from using public funds or property to support immigrant detention facilities. Specifically, it bans state/local spending on constructing, renovating, or leasing public property for detention, paying private facility costs, or covering detention expenses for privately-owned facilities. The law allows public health and safety resources for detained individuals but does not affect existing detention operations. It directly affects state/local budgets and property decisions related to immigration enforcement. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.
This bill, formally titled "Imprisoning Illegal Aliens Act" but actually repealing New Jersey's current ban, would allow state/local governments and private detention facilities to enter into agreements for detaining noncitizens under civil immigration law. Currently, New Jersey law prohibits such agreements (for contracts related to housing or detaining noncitizens for immigration violations), but this bill removes that restriction. The key change is replacing "shall not" with "may" for entering these agreements, effective immediately upon passage. It directly affects New Jersey's counties, sheriffs, municipalities, and private detention facilities that previously could not participate in immigration detention contracts.
Bill A-1838 removes a current prohibition that prevents New Jersey state/local government agencies and private detention facilities from entering agreements to detain noncitizens for civil immigration violations. Currently, such agreements are barred under state law, but this bill would permit them. The key change eliminates the ban on immigration detention agreements, allowing entities to enter, renew, or extend these contracts. This directly affects how New Jersey manages noncitizen detention under state law.
