Senator Says New Jersey Must Act to Protect Dreamers
TRENTON – Senator Nia H. Gill called on New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino to join the lawsuit filed by 16 Attorneys General yesterday to defend their residents and states against the Trump Administration’s harmful decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. In a letter sent today to Attorney General Porrino, Senator Gill said the state has a responsibility to act on behalf of its residents and called for New Jersey to join 15 states and the District of Columbia in the legal challenge.
“An estimated 22,000 young people who are DACA grantees call New Jersey home, 19,161 of whom are currently employed and paying $66 million in state and local taxes each year. According to reports, if these young people are forced to leave New Jersey our state could lose an estimated $1.5 billion in annual GDP,” Senator Gill wrote.
“New Jersey’s DREAMers have only known this country as their home. They are our neighbors, our children’s classmates, our friends and co-workers. These young people have been vetted, they don’t have a criminal record and, most importantly, they believe in the American dream.
“While our Governor has taken a personal position against DACA, the State of New Jersey now has an opportunity and responsibility to do what is right for the people of our state. That is why I ask that you, in your official capacity as New Jersey’s Attorney General, join the lawsuit filed by 16 other Attorneys General, including all of our neighboring states, and protect our state’s residents, workplaces, companies, institutions of high education and our overall economy.”
The full letter is below:
September 7, 2017
The Honorable Christopher Porrino
Attorney General
Department of Law and Public Safety
25 Market Street
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Yesterday, 16 Attorneys General filed suit to defend their states and the DREAMers who will be harmed by the Trump Administration’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The lawsuit says that “rescinding DACA will cause harm to hundreds of thousands of the States’ residents, injure State-run colleges and universities, upset the States’ workplaces, damage the States’ economies, hurt State-based companies, and disrupt the States’ statutory and regulatory interests.”
An estimated 22,000 young people who are DACA grantees call New Jersey home, 19,161 of whom are currently employed and paying $66 million in state and local taxes each year. According to reports, if these young people are forced to leave New Jersey our state could lose an estimated $1.5 billion in annual GDP.
New Jersey’s DREAMers have only known this country as their home. They are our neighbors, our children’s classmates, our friends and co-workers. These young people have been vetted, they don’t have a criminal record and, most importantly, they believe in the American dream.
While our Governor has taken a personal position against DACA[1], the State of New Jersey now has an opportunity and responsibility to do what is right for the people of our state. Those is why I ask that you, in your official capacity as New Jersey’s Attorney General, join the lawsuit filed by 16 other Attorneys General, including all of our neighboring states, and protect our state’s residents, workplaces, companies, institutions of high education and our overall economy.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Nia H. Gill
Senator – 34th Legislative District
[1] Kalet, Hank, Christie Turns Back On NJ Immigrants In Bid For GOP Right, Critics Contend, March 30, 2015, http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/15/03/29/christie-turns-back-on-nj-immigrants-in-bid-for-gop-right-critics-contend/
On March 23, 2015 “Christie joined three other Republican governors — Greg Abbott of Texas, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, and Dennis Daugaard of South Dakota — in filing an amicus brief that asks the Fifth Circuit court to maintain an injunction barring enforcement of the Obama executive order issued in November…The amicus brief argues that the Obama order would cause the states “irreparable harm,” because it would allow the issuance of driver’s licenses, work permits, and Social Security numbers, which in turn will allow unauthorized immigrants to receive additional benefits, such as the earned-income tax credit, healthcare, and other services that would cost states money.”
“Kevin Roberts, spokesman for Christie, said Wednesday that he could confirm that the governor signed onto the brief. Roberts said the governor was signing on as an individual, and not representing the state. He would not offer any further comment.”