NJAIJ LAUNCHES AGGRESSIVE KNOW YOUR RIGHTS CAMPAIGN AS TRUMP RETURNS TO WHITE HOUSE WITH HIS PROMISED DEPORTATION AGENDA

WASHINGTON, D.C. [January 20, 2025] — Today, President Donald Trump outlined explicit plans for mass deportations and widespread immigration raids in his return to the White House. In response, NJAIJ has activated its “New Arrivals Network,” an effort to provide Know Your Rights resources, trainings, and materials to the top 20 cities that are home to immigrant New Jerseyans. This morning, each Mayors’ Office and Council received a catalog of trainings, multilingual videos, and legal directories in anticipation of the raids and arrests the President has promised to unleash. These cities include:

Advocates have warned for months that the Trump Administration would make good of campaign promises to enact mass detentions and deportations on Day 1. Today, in his inaugural address, Trump doubled-down on those pledges, declaring a national emergency at the Southern border with intentions to mobilize military resources and personnel without congressional approval, and reinstate the Remain in Mexico policy. He also indicated plans to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, allowing state and local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

These announcements follow Friday’s late-day announcement of the DACA ruling that suspends the program for new registrants and puts existing recipients in further uncertainty as their renewals are temporarily allowed to continue. Even though the rate at which undocumented immigrants are arrested for committing crimes is far below that of native-born citizens, advocates expect the administration will continue to use rare, sensationalized criminal cases emboldening anti-immigrant narratives to justify large-scale sweeps and workplace raids that result in the collateral arrests of bystanders.

Though a majority of these outcomes have been forecasted for months, New Jersey’s local and State leaders have opted to take a ‘wait and see’ approach rather than acting on existing proposals like the Immigrant Trust Act or expanding critical services like the Detention and Deportation Defense Initiative.

In this moment of uncertainty, NJAIJ calls on the State Legislature and Governor Murphy to pass the Immigrant Trust Act into law. We urge our cities and counties to creatively pool resources for families and children who may be separated from loved ones without guardians or places to stay or shelter.

Protecting families and the safety of New Jersey’s communities is not a partisan issue. NJAIJ refuses attempts to politicize families and their loved ones who seek belonging and safety together in New Jersey. No city, especially not any city in New Jersey, is deserving of the chaos, fear, or divisiveness that the President has promised to unleash.

NJAIJ will continue to work to defend and fight for immigrants, their rights, and their struggle against injustice. The public can access Know Your Rights resources, directories, and trainings at: www.njimmigrantjustice.org/KYR