State legislators from Bergen County are working to safeguard the privacy of immigrants seeking public services. They hope their latest effort will succeed where previous attempts fell short.
State Senator Gordon Johnson and State Assemblywoman Ellen Park, both representing the 37th District, joined immigrant advocates at a press conference in Newark on October 9, 2024. They discussed the Immigrant Trust Act, a bill sponsored by Johnson.
The legislation, introduced last week as Senate Bill S3672, aims to prevent New Jersey state and local agencies from sharing personal information with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It seeks to ensure a clear distinction between local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement.
Many immigrants, especially those without documentation, worry that seeking help from authorities—whether for reporting a crime or applying for social services—could lead to deportation if they provide personal information.
Ana Vasquez, a community organizer with Wind of the Spirit, a Morris County-based immigrant services organization, expressed her desire for the legislation to pass quickly. Vasquez, who emigrated from El Salvador in 2007, shared her story with tears. She recalled fearing to speak to authorities after she and other undocumented immigrants faced sexual abuse from a co-worker at a New Jersey factory. The abuse only stopped when one victim reported the situation to an attorney.
“Out of fear of not having our papers, one believes that they can’t do anything. The immigrant who is afraid will continue being afraid,” Vasquez stated during the press conference held at the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice’s Newark office.
Cristian Moreno-Rodríguez, director of the Atlantic City-based immigrant rights group El Pueblo Unido, also shared a personal experience. He became emotional recalling how, as a child, he saw his mother mugged but could not call the police due to her undocumented status. He stressed the importance of the new legislation, especially amid a climate where immigrants face increasing vilification.
“We won’t stop until every single immigrant in New Jersey feels comfortable asking for help and resources for their family,” Moreno-Rodríguez declared. “No one should have to endure what we went through.”
While advocates are hopeful, the path to enacting this new legislation remains uncertain. Past efforts, like the New Jersey Values Act (S512), introduced in January 2022, sought to protect immigrant privacy. This bill aimed to prohibit agencies from sharing personal information with ICE and to replace the term “alien” with “non-citizen” in state documents. Johnson co-sponsored the Senate version of the bill, while Park co-sponsored the Assembly version. However, it was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee in June 2022 and did not advance.
Johnson remains optimistic that this new legislation will gain traction. “Now is the time to get this through our legislature and convince my colleagues in both houses that this is something that needs to get to the governor’s desk,” he said.
When asked about support for the bill, Johnson acknowledged he had not received formal assurances from colleagues in either the Senate or Assembly but expressed hope for their approval. Park echoed his sentiment, emphasizing the urgency of passing the bill this time.
“There’s definitely an urgency this time around,” Park noted.
This legislative effort comes at a critical moment, as advocates and lawmakers work to ensure that immigrants in New Jersey feel safe accessing public services without fear of deportation.
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