ADVOCACY
Dear Friend,
We are writing to ask you to help take two important steps toward ending immigration detention and enforcement in New Jersey– banning new or renewed ICE contracts and ending the ICE contract at the Bergen County Jail:
1) Advocate for A5207/S3361, which will ban new and renewed ICE detention contracts. The bill is an important first step to disentangle NJ from immigrant detention, a cruel and inhumane practice that creates chaos and fear for families and entire communities and leads to family separations. Detention is not needed to ensure that immigrants appear for hearings; many other methods exist, including community-based alternatives. It continues because it brings profit.
These bills were introduced in response to ICE’s effort to double its capacity in NJ by adding new detention sites. With new detention contracts, there will be an increase in ICE presence and enforcement in our communities. County bed quotas create an economic incentive for detention centers.
Senators Menendez and Booker have both called for ending county jail ICE contracts. The Assembly bill was introduced by Gordon Johnson. Other primary sponsors include Verlina Reynolds-Jackson and Linda Carter. Co-sponsors include Raj Mukherji, Annette Chapparo, and Valerie Vainieri Huttle. The Senate bill was introduced by Loretta Weinberg. Nia Gill is also a primary sponsor, and Vin Gopal is a co-sponsor. Organizational supporters, in addition to Northern NJ Sanctuary Coalition, include American Friends Service Committee, First Friends of NJ/NY, NJ Alliance for Immigrant Justice, and Pax Christi NJ.
2) Advocate ending the Bergen County Jail ICE contract and releasing detainees humanely and responsibly (NOT transferring them to other ICE detention sites).
The Bergen Jail contract is not covered by A5207/S3361, because it has no end date, although the County Commissioners and/or Sheriff Cureton can end it at any time. They have resisted ending the contract because the jail and the County profit from the detention contract which provides $110 a day per detainee. The Commissioners and the Sheriff need to hear from constituents that they must end the contract. NNJSC is playing a leading role in this campaign.
Thanks!
Sally Cummings, Chairperson
Jon Moscow and Elizabeth D. Ames, M.D., Co-Chairpersons
Northern New Jersey Sanctuary Coalition
