Trenton, New Jersey — Outgoing Gov. Phil Murphy used his final hours in office on Tuesday to pocket veto two bills that would have expanded immigrant protections in New Jersey, frustrating advocates who warned the measures were needed as federal immigration enforcement intensifies.
One bill would have written New Jersey’s 2018 Immigrant Trust Directive into law, limiting when state and local police can assist federal immigration agents. Murphy said the legislation differed from the directive in key ways and could invite renewed court challenges, risking protections that have already been upheld, including at the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals. He said he could not sign a bill that might endanger “hundreds of thousands of immigrants in New Jersey.”
Murphy also declined to sign a separate data privacy measure intended to restrict how sensitive personal information collected by institutions such as hospitals, schools, and libraries could be shared. He said his administration discovered a drafting problem that could be interpreted as conflicting with federal law and potentially jeopardize billions in federal funding, and that the session’s end left no time for fixes.
Advocates, including the ACLU of New Jersey, called the vetoes a major setback and urged incoming Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill and lawmakers to reintroduce the bills quickly.
Sources:
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
