This New Jersey bill (A 323) requires public school districts to charge tuition to students who are not U.S. citizens or legal immigrants, while allowing citizens and legal immigrants to attend free. Specifically, schools must verify a child's citizenship or immigration status before enrollment; students without documentation must pay annual tuition of at least $1,000 per year. Districts must report the number of tuition-paying students and collected funds in school report cards, and post this data online. The bill directly affects non-citizen students, including undocumented children, and aims to shift educational costs away from taxpayers by requiring tuition payments from this group.
This bill, the New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act (A-1400), prohibits state and local government agencies - including law enforcement, schools, and hospitals - from cooperating with federal immigration authorities on immigration detainer requests that lack judicial warrants. It directly affects immigrants and their families by ensuring they can access public services like healthcare and education without fear of deportation. Key provisions ban agencies from holding individuals beyond their release date based on federal immigration detainers (like I-247 forms) and require them to prioritize local safety over federal immigration enforcement. The law aims to prevent unconstitutional detentions and maintain community trust in public services, as federal detainers have been found to violate constitutional rights in multiple courts.
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 New Jersey bill amends the Law Against Discrimination to explicitly protect immigrants and non-citizens from discrimination based on their immigration status or citizenship status. It adds these categories to the list of protected characteristics in employment, housing, and public accommodations, alongside existing protections for race, gender, disability, and other factors. The law ensures individuals cannot be denied jobs, housing, or services due to their immigration or citizenship status, and clarifies that discrimination against people for these reasons harms both individuals and the state. This expands existing anti-discrimination law to directly address barriers faced by immigrant communities.
This bill requires all New Jersey law enforcement agencies - including municipal, county, and state police departments, as well as educational institutions with campus police - to adopt written policies for cooperating with federal immigration authorities upon request. It defines "law enforcement officer" broadly to include those with arrest powers under state law. The bill also mandates that the state defend officers in civil lawsuits arising from cooperation (unless misconduct occurred) and cover settlement costs for officers following the policy. This directly affects thousands of officers across New Jersey’s 566 municipalities and educational institutions with police forces. The policy change would standardize cooperation with federal immigration enforcement at the local level.
This bill creates a dedicated immigration unit within New Jersey's Office of Public Defender (OPD) to provide legal representation and assistance on immigration matters. It directly affects noncitizens involved in the criminal justice system, those committed to psychiatric institutions, and noncitizen youth in juvenile delinquency cases. The unit will help these individuals navigate immigration consequences tied to their court proceedings, addressing a current gap where only two immigration attorneys serve approximately 600 noncitizen criminal defendants. The unit aims to ensure compliance with federal requirements (like *Padilla v. Kentucky*) and provide specialized support, especially for noncitizen youth facing unique challenges.
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 bill (S 3521) codifies New Jersey's Attorney General's "Strengthening Trust Between Law Enforcement and Immigrant Communities" directive into law. It prohibits state, county, and municipal law enforcement officers from stopping, questioning, arresting, or detaining individuals based solely on immigration status or federal immigration violations. The law also bans officers from asking about immigration status (except when directly relevant to investigating a specific crime) or sharing personal data like Social Security numbers, license details, or addresses with federal immigration authorities for enforcement purposes. The bill explicitly affirms that law enforcement must focus on state criminal law enforcement, not federal immigration enforcement, to maintain community trust and public safety.
This bill (AR 18) directs New Jersey's Attorney General to repeal and amend specific parts of the 2018 Law Enforcement Directive (No. 2018-6), which previously restricted state and local law enforcement from sharing immigration status information with federal authorities like ICE. It specifically targets the restriction on sharing citizenship/immigration status details, allowing law enforcement to coordinate with federal immigration agencies when necessary for public safety. The bill preserves exceptions for T-Visa (human trafficking victims) and U-Visa (crime victim) certification procedures. It directly affects New Jersey police departments, sheriffs' offices, and state law enforcement agencies by removing legal barriers to cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
This bill (A 2959) prohibits New Jersey state agencies and political subdivisions from entering into or renewing public service contracts with contractors who knowingly employ or contract with individuals without legal work authorization in the U.S. It directly affects contractors working on state or local government service contracts. Key provisions require contractors to verify all workers' eligibility using the federal E-Verify program and to certify subcontractors comply with the same rule. Contractors violating the law face contract termination, and a public list of violators is maintained by the Department of Labor. The law applies to all public contracts for services, not physical goods or projects.
