Safe Communities Is Law: A Victory for Immigrant Communities in New Jersey

On a cold January night in Trenton, members of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice—including CATA—along with advocates, service providers, and faith leaders, filled the State House halls once again. Some had taken time off work. Others drove hours. Many had already been there days earlier—calling, texting, testifying, and following the legislative process. Just before 11:00 p.m. on Monday, January 12, our persistence paid off: New Jersey lawmakers passed a package of bills designed to protect immigrant communities across the state.

That moment marked a hard-fought victory—one that belongs to the people.

A Long Fight to Protect Immigrant Communities

Since 2019, New Jersey has had a policy issued by the Attorney General that limits cooperation between local and state law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. While this policy has offered important protections, it has remained vulnerable—because policies can be changed by future administrations.

For years, immigrant-led grassroots organizations have pushed to make these protections permanent by turning them into law. That effort has been known as the Immigrant Trust Act.

From One Proposal to Three Bills

In January 2026, the Immigrant Trust Act was reintroduced as a package of three separate bills, each addressing a specific area of protection:

• A6308 – Safe Communities Act

  
  

  Ensures that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) does not have access to sensitive locations such as churches, schools, and healthcare facilities.

• A6309 – Privacy Protection Act

  
  

  Protects personal data provided to public institutions—such as information shared when applying for a driver’s license, public benefits, or services—from being accessed by ICE.

• A6310 – Immigrant Trust Directive (ITD) Codification 

  
  

  Would have codified into law the existing directive that limits cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE.

  
  

Community Power in Action

Between January 5 and January 12, partner organizations and community members—including CATA—were present at the New Jersey State House three separate times for hearings and votes. Each step forward was driven by community pressure and participation.

On January 12, all three bills passed both the Assembly and the Senate.

One Signature, Two Missed Opportunities

Despite widespread calls and messages urging Governor Phil Murphy to sign all three bills before leaving office, he signed only one: the Safe Communities Act.

The governor did not sign the other two bills—those addressing data privacy and codifying the Immigrant Trust Directive. In a public statement, he argued that while well intentioned, the measures could expose the state to significant legal risk. Both bills were pocket-vetoed, a procedure used when a governor does not sign bills passed in the final days of a legislative session, which prevents the proposals from returning to the legislature for a possible override.

A Victory—And the Work Ahead

This moment feels bittersweet. Safe Communities becoming law is a real and meaningful victory. It shows what is possible when people organize, show up, and demand protection for their communities.

It is also important to honor the collective effort: every call made, every message sent, every testimony given, every presence in Trenton. This victory belongs to the people who refused to give up.

Now, the work continues. New Jersey’s new governor, Mikie Sherrill, has not yet confirmed whether she will support a renewed version of the vetoed initiatives, though she has previously expressed concerns about legal challenges.

We will continue to share updates and next steps as this fight for immigrant justice moves forward.

Only the people save the people.

With thanks to the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice and Radio Jornalera NJ for contributing information.