More than 70 orgs., 500 residents sign petition to NJ GOP Reps urging an end to ICE abuses

NEWARK—March 4, 2026— More than 70 organizations, including New Jersey Citizen Action (NJCA), 1199 SEIU, Latino Action Network (LAN), CWA 1037, the NJ Consortium for Immigrant Children, the NJ Coalition of Religious Leaders, the Newark Teachers Union, AFT New Jersey, and over 500 individuals have signed a petition delivered today to New Jersey’s GOP Representatives, Jeff Van Drew, Chris Smith, and Tom Kean, Jr., urging them to help end the systemic abuses of law and violations of the U.S. Constitution perpetrated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Photos of the petition drop-offs can be viewed here.

 

This call to restore the rule of law to these agencies’ operations, and protect our state’s residents, immigrants, and people of color from ICE’s increasing brutality, comes as Congress debates the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) budget. The unprecedented expansion of ICE’s budget has come at the direct expense of vital public programs millions of New Jerseyans depend on.  

 

“In New Jersey, our communities are stronger because we stand up for our neighbors and we don't shy away from our responsibilities to them,” said U.S. Representative Bonnie Watson (NJ-12) in a statement for a press conference on the petition. “If Kean, Smith, and Van Drew think they can buy the silence of local communities with a little grant money, or ignore them all together, they are in for a rude awakening this fall. The people are calling for an immigration system that respects peoples' rights and guarantees their safety - not one that scapegoats decades of failed immigration policy and places the burden of those failures on the backs of people trying to make a better life for their families.” Representative Watson Coleman’s full statement can be read ​​​​​here​​​​​.  

 

“These attacks on New Jersey’s immigrants and communities of color are attacks on all New Jerseyans, as well as the very foundations of our democracy,” said NJCA Director of Advocacy and Policy Maura Collinsgru. “The massive public outcry against ICE’s deportations grows louder across the state with every neighborhood and family torn apart. We urge Representatives Tom Kean Jr., Chris Smith, and Jeff Van Drew to take a stand for their constituents by calling for an end to these extra-judicial deportations and incarcerations. We further urge Congress to not grant ICE another cent, and to restore funding for healthcare and other essential services.” 

 

"Roughly 40% of New Jersey's children are foreign-born or live with at least one foreign-born parent," said Alyssa Oravec, New Jersey Consortium for Immigrant Children's Policy Counsel, adding, "We have seen firsthand immigrant children forgoing the healthcare, education, and basic services they need due to their fear of ICE. They are afraid to participate in their communities and are reluctant to seek legal relief, knowing that walking into a courthouse could put them at risk. Our representatives in Congress must take a stand and ensure that guardrails are put in place to rein in federal immigration enforcement agents to ensure the safety of ALL of New Jersey's children."   

 

“The Trump administration’s use of ICE/CPB as a paramilitary force, disappearing people and sowing fear across New Jersey communities, is an appalling abuse of federal power,” said Andy Cassagnol, Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. “The caregivers of 1199SEIU call on our elected representatives in Washington, DC, to stand against these unconstitutional practices and demand that the rule of law be respected. ICE out of our communities!”   

 

“The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and AFT New Jersey (AFTNJ) actively promote ‘safe spaces’ in schools and communities. We focus on protecting vulnerable students and staff from immigration enforcement, gun violence and discrimination,” said AFT New Jersey President Jennifer S. Higgins. “To paraphrase Randi Weingarten, AFT’s president, our schools, hospitals and houses of worship should be sacrosanct. ICE’s unrestricted access to sensitive places serves only to traumatize our communities and make it extremely difficult for our members to do their work as educators and public service professionals.” 

 

"Healthcare workers are struggling to provide patient care in an environment that is increasingly impacted by a lack of investment in healthcare coverage and overreaching immigration policies,” said HPAE President Debbie White, RN. The first priority for any healthcare worker is to provide safe and effective treatment for patients regardless of health insurance or immigration status. Yet many healthcare workers are navigating additional concerns created by ICE agents within our facilities that foster an environment of fear rather than healing. Our Federal Representatives must take steps to protect patient care, by ensuring that our hospitals are safe spaces for every patient and every worker.” 

 

“The New Jersey Coalition of Religious Leaders seeks to advocate for the dignity of all people,” said Sara Lilja, Executive Director, NJ Coalition of Religious Leaders. “It is a moral outrage that federal officials are dehumanizing our neighbors, and causing mistrust and fear in our communities. We join in calling for due process for all immigrants; including upholding judicial warrants, clear identification of federal officers and protecting our sacred Spaces and other essential spaces from intrusion of DHS officials.” 

 

“In Newark, our classrooms reflect the strength and diversity of immigrant families who are vital to our city. When ICE abuses tear families apart and spread fear, our students feel it first. Teachers see every day how fear and disruption in students’ lives impair learning, wellbeing, and community cohesion. We call on our New Jersey GOP Representatives to listen to the voices of their constituents, stand against abuses of power, and work toward policies that protect families and uphold justice. Our classrooms thrive when children feel safe, supported, and valued,” said John M. Abeigon, President of the Newark Teachers Union.   

 

The petition states that the “current pattern of mass detentions and deportations is inhumane and reflects a profound failure of leadership,” and notes that nearly one in four New Jerseyans are immigrants, who are “deeply embedded in the state’s economic and social fabric.”  

 

The petition also calls on Congress to withhold any additional funding for ICE and CBP until meaningful reforms are enacted and to “restore resources to essential services that were cut or weakened in the budget reconciliation bill, including Medicaid and enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, which support the health and economic stability of millions of families nationwide.” 

 

The reforms called for in immigration enforcement include: