Our Communities Deserve More: Why New NJ Immigration Laws Fall Short

Last month, two major immigration-related bills were passed by the New Jersey Legislature and signed into law by Governor Mikie Sherrill: the Privacy Protection Act and the Immigrant Trust Directive Codification. Together, these laws are intended to strengthen trust between immigrant communities and public institutions. The Privacy Protection Act places limits on how state agencies and healthcare providers collect, use, and share personal information, including sensitive data like immigration status, unless it is strictly necessary for services. The Immigrant Trust Directive Codification formally writes into law the state’s Immigrant Trust Directive, which restricts local law enforcement from participating in federal immigration enforcement and prohibits actions like stopping or detaining someone based solely on their immigration status.

While these bills are being described by state leaders as important protections, CATA and many other immigrant-rights organizations have made clear that the final versions fall far short of what communities fought for. Both bills were significantly “watered down” from their initial proposals, removing key safeguards that would have more meaningfully limited data sharing and cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Advocates have raised concerns that the laws still leave room for sensitive information to be accessed and for individuals to be funneled into immigration enforcement, especially at a time of expanding ICE presence in New Jersey, including at places like airports

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For CATA and allied organizations, this moment is bittersweet. While any step toward protecting immigrant communities matters, these laws do not go far enough to ensure that farmworkers and their families can safely access healthcare, report labor abuses, or interact with public institutions without fear. The compromises in these bills risk maintaining the very fear and vulnerability they were meant to address. As a result,

advocates are calling on lawmakers to revisit and strengthen these policies so that New Jersey truly protects the dignity, safety, and rights of all immigrant communities.

Read this press release from the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice to learn more.

Meghan Hurley

Policy and Advocacy Organizer

CATA - The Farmworker Support Committee

856-881-2507

www.cata-farmworkers.org