TRENTON – Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg announced today that the New Jersey Senate will act on a resolution at its next voting session condemning President Donald Trump’s “Muslim ban” and other executive orders issued last week cracking down on immigration.
“I believe it is important that the New Jersey Senate takes a strong and unified stand against the discriminatory, unconstitutional and un-American actions of Donald Trump with his Muslim ban, his newly-erected barriers to immigration and his attempt to target New Jersey cities that are home to immigrants to America,” said Senator Sweeney. “We celebrate the fact that New Jersey is the most diverse state in the country and we cherish the principles of religious freedom, equality and justice that define the greatness of our country and are protected by the Establishment Clause of the US Constitution. Our rights as Americans are under assault so it is important that we demonstrate leadership showing that bigotry and discrimination have no place in our state or in our nation.”
“The actions taken by Trump are not reflective of our values as Americans, and certainly not as New Jerseyans who take great pride in the diversity of our state,” said Senator Weinberg. “Discrimination against any group is an attack against all of our rights, and we will not stand for it. We cannot shy away from our responsibility to be a voice for the residents we took an oath to represent. We must stand up for all of our residents and for those who come to this great nation seeking refuge and searching for a better way of life for their children and families, just like the countless immigrants and refugees who came before them and built this nation since its founding. All of us have an obligation to oppose these discriminatory policies. In these turbulent times, and as leaders elected by the people of New Jersey, our silence is not golden.”
The leaders said they will seek sponsorship of the resolution from each senator. The Senate will consider the measure at its voting session on Monday, February 6, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. in the State House, Trenton, NJ.
