Governor Phil Murphy has signed the Safe Communities Act (A6308/S5036) into law, a measure that instructs the Attorney General to create model policies for institutions such as schools, hospitals, shelters, and food pantries to better serve immigrant communities in New Jersey.
However, Governor Murphy used a pocket veto on two other bills from the same legislative package. The first bill, A6309/S5037—known as the Privacy Protection Act—would have established data privacy protections for immigrants. The second bill, A6310/S5038, aimed to codify the state’s Immigrant Trust Directive into law. This directive is intended to ensure that local resources are directed toward providing municipal services rather than supporting federal immigration enforcement efforts.
The three-bill package was designed to reinforce New Jersey’s authority over its own resources and provide additional protections for residents. According to data cited by advocates, nearly one in four New Jersey residents is an immigrant and one in six has at least one immigrant parent.
Amol Sinha, Executive Director of the ACLU of New Jersey, responded with a statement:
“In recent years, New Jersey has taken important strides in expanding and protecting immigrants’ rights, even in the face of escalating attacks by the federal government. The Safe Communities Act signed by Gov. Murphy today will continue that mission. However, we are deeply disappointed that Governor Murphy pocket vetoed the two more meaningful bills within the immigrant protection package, A6309/S5037 and A6310/S5038, which would have created much needed protections for the 9.5 million New Jerseyans that call this state home. In failing to sign these bills, Governor Murphy has left New Jersey without critical protections at a moment when ICE is brutalizing our communities. These bills were legally sound, politically viable, and commonsense policy. We call on Governor-elect Sherrill, her administration, and the Legislature to establish data privacy protections and ensure state and local resources are not commandeered for federal immigration enforcement – we have no time to waste.”
The ACLU-NJ continues to urge lawmakers and incoming leadership to prioritize both data privacy measures and limits on cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
