News Update - April 8, 2009
By Alan Lee, Esq.†‡
New Jersey’s Governor and Blue Ribbon Panel Call for Stop
to Immigration Workplace Raids
Governor Jon Corzine announced the results of New Jersey’s
Blue Ribbon Panel on Immigration Policy which deliberated for the
past 18 months. Some of the recommendations include: establishment
of an Office of New Americans to encourage immigrant integration
into American society, reorganization of government agencies so
that they are able to provide language access and culturally competent
services, grant in-state tuition to all immigrant children, enforce
wage and hour laws which affect both immigrants and US-born workers,
and a call for a stop to future Immigration and Customs Enforcement
workplace raids. These recommendations represent an emerging trend
amongst state lawmakers to include working immigrant families in
plans for economic growth. If Governor Corzine implements the Panel’s
recommendations he will set a good example for state governments,
especially those who are less accustomed to the presence of immigrants
in their states. New Jersey’s population is 21% foreign born
making the State’s immigrant population the fifth highest
in the United States.
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