New Jersey Lawmakers Approve Bills Aimed at Shielding Immigrant Communities from ICE Actions
New Jersey lawmakers have passed a package of three bills intended to strengthen protections for immigrant communities and limit cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The measures were approved on the final day of the state’s current legislative session and now await consideration by Governor Phil Murphy before he leaves office on January 20.
The legislation is designed to build trust between immigrant residents and public institutions, particularly amid growing concerns over federal immigration enforcement. New Jersey has one of the largest immigrant populations in the United States, second only to California.
One of the bills, known as the Safe Communities Act, directs the state attorney general to create clear guidelines for how sensitive locations—such as public schools, healthcare facilities, courts, and places of worship—should interact with federal immigration authorities. The goal is to ensure that residents are not discouraged from seeking essential services due to fear of immigration enforcement.
Under the act, several state departments, including Health, Education, Human Services, and Corrections, along with the judiciary, would be required to adopt and publicly display policies that meet or exceed the attorney general’s standards for protecting community members.
Another measure, the Privacy Protection Act, restricts how personal data is collected and shared by government agencies and healthcare providers. Supporters say this will help prevent residents from avoiding medical care or public services due to concerns that their information could be shared with federal immigration authorities.
The third bill formally enshrines the state attorney general’s Immigrant Trust Directive into law. The directive clarifies that state and local law enforcement officers are responsible for enforcing criminal law, not federal civil immigration law. It limits voluntary cooperation between local police and ICE, a policy that has been in place since 2018 and has survived multiple legal challenges.
The bills were sponsored by a group of Democratic lawmakers in both the state Senate and General Assembly and were widely praised by immigrant rights organizations.
Advocacy groups described the legislation as a major step toward reducing fear within immigrant communities. Leaders from several organizations said the measures would help keep families together and prevent unnecessary detentions based solely on immigration status.
Supporters also cited recent national incidents involving immigration enforcement as evidence that stronger state-level protections are needed. They argue that local communities can no longer rely on federal authorities to ensure public safety for all residents.
If signed into law, the bills would further solidify New Jersey’s position as one of the states with the strongest protections for immigrants, even as federal immigration enforcement continues to expand nationwide.
