Governor Murphy delivered his penultimate State of the State address amid rising concerns over immigration policies, days before President Trump's inauguration. The address occurred as Congress prepared to pass a controversial detention and deportation bill affecting noncitizen communities in New Jersey. Recent weeks have seen numerous anti-immigrant bills introduced in Congress, raising anxiety among immigrant communities.
In his speech, Governor Murphy did not directly mention the immigrant community, which has been targeted by the incoming federal administration. This omission marks a shift from previous addresses where he expressed strong support for immigrants, who constitute nearly two million residents in New Jersey.
Over 100 organizations have urged Governor Murphy and state leaders to swiftly enact the Immigrant Trust Act (S3672/A4987). In his opening remarks, Governor Murphy vowed to defend New Jersey values against any attacks, stating, “I will never back down from defending our New Jersey values, if and when they are tested… If you try to attack our people or our values without cause, make no mistake, we will fight back harder.” He added, “I’m not done yet and we’re not done yet.”
Amy Torres of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice remarked on the significance of addressing immigration: "The most inescapable and polarizing issue of 2024 was immigration. Let’s hope no one forgot to tell Governor Murphy.” She emphasized that concrete legislative proposals could provide needed defense and protections.
Sarah Fajardo from ACLU-NJ highlighted the importance of prioritizing legislation like the Immigrant Trust Act to strengthen immigrants' rights amid promises of mass deportations by President-elect Trump. She stated that New Jersey should lead nationally by adopting comprehensive civil rights approaches.
Nedia Morsy from Make the Road New Jersey warned about potential impacts of Trump's plans for mass deportations and family separation. She called on state leaders to act promptly: “New Jersey — one of the most immigrant-rich states in the nation — has the potential to be ground zero. Governor Murphy and the legislature must act now to pass the Immigrant Trust Act.”
