NEWARK, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — New laws to protect immigrants are now on the books in New Jersey. Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed them Wednesday morning in Newark.
Three bills are now the law of the land in New Jersey. They prohibit state agencies and health care providers from sharing immigration information with federal authorities unless a crime is committed. Another codifies the state’s immigrant trust directive, and the last prohibits federal agents from wearing masks and concealing their identities.
“We’re not going to tolerate masked, roving militias pretending to be well-trained law enforcement agents,” said Sherrill.
The governor said they are ready to fight the Trump administration in court if necessary.
“We know the administration has challenged some of these measures in the past. We beat them in court then, and we’re happy to meet them in court again if they decide to sue now,” she said.
“These bills are the product of community input and legislative deliberation. They protect people’s privacy and their rights. They strengthen trust between law enforcement and our communities, and they help make sure our government delivers for the people and the businesses it’s meant to serve.”
This package of bills was vetoed as one of former Gov. Phil Murphy’s last actions. The Legislature spent the last three months working on technical fixes to ensure they could withstand legal challenges.
