Sherrill Signs Trio of Immigration Bills in Pushback on Federal Policies
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed a bill today imposing permanent limits on state and local police cooperation with federal immigration authorities. It is her first major legislation since taking office two months ago after campaigning to act as a check on President Trump.
The bill mirrors the state’s Immigrant Trust Directive issued by the attorney general and was part of a trio of pro-immigrant bills the Democratic-led Legislature passed March 23 as NJ S3521 (26R).
A nearly identical bill was pocket vetoed by former Gov. Phil Murphy on his final day in office. The version sent to Sherrill more closely aligns with the directive, which has withstood legal challenges by allowing narrow exceptions for when prisons and jails can hold someone for transfer to federal immigration agents, including when a person is charged with or convicted of a violent or serious offense or is subject to a final removal order.
Sherrill also signed NJ S3114 (26R), barring law enforcement officers, including federal agents, from wearing masks while on duty and requiring identification before an arrest or detention, with exceptions for undercover work, protective shields that do not conceal the face, or risks of retaliation.
A third bill, NJ A4070 (26R), limits the immigration data state and local governments and health care facilities can collect.
The signings are the latest in a series of steps opposing the administration’s immigration crackdown. In February, Sherrill issued an executive order banning ICE operations on state property and creating a portal for residents to upload footage of ICE encounters. Last week, she announced a lawsuit to block a major immigrant detention center from opening in the state.
