Immigration (Immigrant Services) in New Jersey

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 4, 2026

A 4830: Establishes Office of New Americans in Department of Human Services.

This bill establishes the Office of New Americans within New Jersey's Department of Human Services to support immigrants, refugees, and their children. The office will serve as a central hub for expertise and data, providing technical assistance, training, and recommendations to other state agencies on issues affecting these communities. It also mandates that hiring decisions for the office consider candidates with lived experience or work history in New American communities. The legislation aims to improve access to services and foster successful integration for these residents.

Topics ✓ Immigration

Sub-Topics Immigrant Services

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2011: Requires Commissioners of DOH and DHS to perform language needs assessment.

This New Jersey bill (2011) requires the Commissioners of Health (DOH) and Human Services (DHS) to conduct language needs assessments for all their department offices and programs. The assessments must identify which language communities use services, which don’t access services, and where unmet needs exist for non-English materials. Based on these findings, the two departments must jointly plan for future translation services to serve communities with significant language needs. The bill mandates that departments adopt implementing rules within 180 days of its effective date.

Topics ✓ Immigration

Sub-Topics Immigrant Services

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 19, 2026

A 4260: Requires expunged records to be accessible for immigration purposes.

This bill requires New Jersey courts and agencies to make expunged criminal records available to individuals upon request for immigration or naturalization purposes. It directly affects noncitizens in New Jersey who have had criminal convictions expunged and need these records for U.S. immigration applications or citizenship processes. Under the bill, if a person with an expungement order requests records for immigration matters, the court or designated agency must provide the records to them or their representative, rather than stating "no record exists." This change ensures expunged records remain accessible for federal immigration requirements without requiring the individual to seek additional legal action.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Immigration

Sub-Topics Courts Citizenship & Naturalization Driver Licenses & IDs Immigrant Services

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 19, 2026

A 4283: Establishes "New Jersey Migrant and Refugee Assistance Act."

This bill establishes the "New Jersey Migrant and Refugee Assistance Act" to create a coordination program within the Department of Human Services. The program connects migrants (individuals relocating from other countries) and refugees (granted federal refugee status) with existing public assistance resources like housing, healthcare, job training, education, and legal services. It requires the Department to collaborate with local governments and community groups, conduct multilingual outreach, and submit annual reports tracking program effectiveness and service numbers. The bill directly affects migrants and refugees in New Jersey seeking support to integrate into state services.

Topics ✓ Immigration

Sub-Topics Immigrant Services Refugees & Asylum

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2186: Requires certain court documents to be translated into languages other than English.

This bill requires New Jersey courts to translate key criminal court documents - including indictments, pleadings, and motions - into the primary language of defendants, witnesses, or legal guardians with limited English proficiency. It mandates the Administrative Office of the Courts to develop policies for translating documents into nine specific languages widely spoken in the state (including Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, and Haitian Creole) and to post multilingual signs in courthouses informing people of their right to language assistance. The policy aims to ensure individuals with limited English proficiency can understand court proceedings and exercise their legal rights. The bill directly affects people navigating criminal cases who may face barriers due to language differences.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Immigration

Sub-Topics Courts Immigrant Services

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2617: Establishes Office of Bilingual and English Language Learner Education in DOE.

This bill establishes a new Office of Bilingual and English Language Learner Education within New Jersey's Department of Education. It directly affects over 130,000 English language learner (ELL) students in public schools - representing about 9% of the statewide student population - who will gain access to enhanced support services. The office will create bilingual programs, provide teacher training, offer academic support, develop multilingual parent resources, and oversee school district compliance with ELL requirements. School districts must submit annual reports on ELL enrollment and progress, which the office will analyze to identify improvements and enforce corrective action plans for non-compliant schools.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Immigration

Sub-Topics Teachers Immigrant Services

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 907: Prohibits State funding to assist immigrants facing detention or deportation.

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.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✗ Immigration

Sub-Topics Immigrant Services Enforcement Sanctuary Policies

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2696: Establishes "New Jersey Migrant and Refugee Assistance Act."

This bill establishes the "New Jersey Migrant and Refugee Assistance Act," creating a Migrant and Refugee Resource Coordination Program within the Department of Human Services. The program connects migrants (individuals relocating to NJ from other countries) and refugees (those granted federal refugee status) with public assistance resources, including housing, healthcare, education, job training, and legal services. The Department must collaborate with local governments and community organizations, implement multilingual outreach, and submit annual reports detailing program effectiveness and recommendations. The law takes immediate effect and focuses on facilitating access to existing state services, not creating new benefits.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing ✓ Immigration ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Immigrant Services Refugees & Asylum Workforce Development

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2251: Codifies federal regulations requiring bilingual materials and services for SNAP under certain circumstances.

This bill requires New Jersey's SNAP program to provide bilingual materials and interpreters in specific areas where certain language thresholds are met. It directly affects SNAP applicants and beneficiaries in counties or service areas with a significant number of "single-language minority" households - defined as groups where all members speak one non-English language and no adults speak English. The law mandates bilingual services when at least 100 households (in smaller areas) or 5% of low-income households (in larger areas) share the same non-English language, including during seasonal influxes of non-English speakers. Materials can be printed bilingually or include English summaries with language-specific contact information.

Topics ✓ Immigration

Sub-Topics Immigrant Services

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2234: Establishes Office of New Americans in Department of Human Services.

This bill establishes a permanent Office of New Americans within New Jersey's Department of Human Services. It directly serves immigrants, refugees, and their families - over two million people representing nearly a quarter of the state's population - by providing refugee resettlement services, legal assistance, health screenings, and workforce development programs. The office will act as a central hub for coordinating state services, offering technical assistance to other agencies, and ensuring programs are culturally responsive. The Director, appointed by the Human Services Commissioner, will lead these efforts with staff prioritizing lived experience in immigrant communities. The bill formalizes existing initiatives from Executive Order 74 (2019) to improve access to resources and build trust between immigrant communities and state government.

Topics ✓ Immigration ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Immigrant Services Refugees & Asylum Workforce Development

All immigration bills