Last week, the New Jersey Supreme Court updated the Statewide Judicial Policies to conform to New Jersey’s Immigrant Rights Directive. New Jersey Supreme Court Directive 04-79 stops court officials from collecting information about an individual’s immigration status unless it is absolutely necessary. » Read More

Responding to community criticism of the recently implemented “Immigrant Rights Directive” by New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal, the Sussex County Board of Freeholders considered a resolution that would put the question of “Sanctuary County” designation to the voters in this November’s general election.  » Read More

On Saturday, the Trump administration, through a Tweet from @realDonaldTrump at 9:47 p.m., floated the idea of sending all those entering at the border to sanctuary states and cities across the United States, where the president said the states and cities can take “care of” immigrants seeking admission, and in many instances asylum protection, at the United States border with Mexico, at designated ports of entry. » Read More

Raymond G. Lahoud, a Member of law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., and Chair of its Immigration Practice Group, was featured on the PBS39 News Report “Domestic Abuse Survivors Face Uncertain Future as Government Shutdown Drags On,” which aired on January 17. » Read More

Norris McLaughlin’s Immigration Group notes the impact of the partial government shutdown on the U.S. Immigration System as follows:

Form I-9 and E-Verify

E-Verify expired as a result of the government shutdown.  Employers will not have access to E-Verify to initiate new employee verifications, resolve non-confirmations, and verify employment authorization.  » Read More

With President Trump threatening a Constitutional showdown over the question of “birthright citizenship,” many New Jersey immigrants are concerned about their children—those already born and deemed US Citizens, and those who are to be born. “Birthright citizenship” is the automatic granting of US Citizenship to any child born on US soil, without regard to the citizenship or resident status of the parent. » Read More

In a recent article, “Immigrants in New Jersey: A Demographic and Economic Profile for the Midterms Elections,” contributing reporter Maria Frausto of the American Immigration Council writes that “[j]ust weeks before the midterm elections in New Jersey, immigration policy has emerged as a top issue for voters.”

Frausto notes that while “the political rhetoric on immigration may overlook important nuances about the complexity of this issue, it remains critical for the public to understand the contributions immigrants make to communities in New Jersey.  » Read More

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ranks New Jersey in the top 5 states with the highest number of naturalizations in 2017, according to the Agency’s 2017 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics, which was released to the public on October 2, 2018.  » Read More

A police car with the decal “ICE” across its doors has been patrolling the streets of Princeton, New Jersey.  Confusion and concern took over the small Mercer County, New Jersey immigrant community.  Why?  “ICE” is an acronym for Immigration & Customs Enforcement—the federal agency that enforces immigration law, including executing deportation orders, conducting worksite investigations, and more.  » Read More

On Wednesday, July 18, New Jersey sued the US Department of Justice (DOJ) over the Trump administration’s policy that attaches immigration enforcement conditions to federal public safety grants.  These conditions have already cost New Jersey taxpayers over $4 million in federal public safety grants, given several New Jersey “sanctuary state” policies. » Read More