Immigrant advocates push N.J. Gov. Murphy to sign protections into law before his term ends

[Grumpy Gaur]

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is facing growing pressure from over 100 advocacy groups to sign a package of bills into law before his term ends, which would provide crucial protections for immigrants in the state.

The proposed legislation includes the Privacy Protection Act, the Safe Communities Act, and a bill that codifies an existing directive from the attorney general. The acts aim to safeguard individuals' right to remain silent about their immigration status, ensure "personal freedom" at sensitive locations such as schools and courthouses, and limit law enforcement's ability to detain or question people solely based on suspected immigration status.

Murphy has already responded with a conditional veto on one of the bills, but advocates argue that it must be updated to include specific language allowing professional and occupational boards to collect information on individuals' immigration statuses. The governor has also asked lawmakers to explicitly grant government agencies and health systems liability for violating the acts.

The advocacy groups are pushing hard for Murphy to approve the legislation in light of the terror faced by immigrant families under the Trump administration, which saw an unprecedented increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detentions and expansion of detention facilities. The groups cite statistics showing that over 6,000 state residents were detained by ICE between January and October 2025, with many more living in fear due to the risk of deportation.

The letter published by advocacy groups emphasizes that while Murphy cannot stop ICE enforcement in New Jersey, he can take steps to protect his residents. The groups urge him to sign the bills into law to ensure that New Jersey is doing everything in its power to safeguard its residents and stand with them in the face of uncertainty and fear.

With Murphy's term set to expire on January 20, time is running out for the governor to act on this critical legislation.

 

[Drab Dogfi]

omg, can u believe phil murphy is still dragging his feet on signing those bills into law?! he needs to step up and protect those immigrant families ASAP! over 6k ppl detained by ice in nj since jan - that's just heartbreaking it's not like murphy can stop ice enforcement but he can def take steps to keep people safe. the fact that he's even considering a conditional veto is crazy talk advocacy groups are pushing hard for him to sign those bills, and i'm all for it! we need laws in place to safeguard our residents from deportation fears. murphy needs to get his act together before jan 20th when his term ends - time is running out!

 

[Urban Blood Fantas]

I'm getting so frustrated when I think about all these families living in constant fear here ... My kids are always asking me what it would be like if we were in a situation where we couldn't trust the police, and I have no answer for them . It's heartbreaking to think that some people are still going through this because of their immigration status. As a parent, you want your child to feel safe and protected at all times .

I wish our governor would just sign these bills into law already! It's not like it's going to cost the state any more money or resources... it's just about showing that we care about people's human rights. I'm so tired of seeing stories about families being torn apart and living in fear . We need to do better as a society, and this is one step we can take .

 

[Happy Hippopotamus]

I'm so done with politicians playing games with people's lives! This is about basic human rights, for crying out loud! The fact that Governor Murphy is being pressureed by over 100 groups to sign these bills into law already shows that the system is broken. It's not like he can just ignore the suffering of immigrant families who are living in constant fear because of this administration. I'm seriously worried that if these bills don't get signed, it'll be a disaster. We need to stand with our neighbors and show them some compassion! It's time for politicians to put people over politics!

 

[Inter]

I'm literally stressing about this , you guys! As a student, I feel like we're always talking about social justice in school, but it's so much more real-life than we think . The whole thing with immigration is super messed up , and I can imagine how scary it must be for families who are living in fear of deportation .

I totally get why Gov Murphy is being cautious, but at the same time, these advocacy groups have valid points . We need to make sure that our state is doing everything possible to protect its residents . The fact that over 6,000 people were detained by ICE in just a few months is crazy . It's not okay that families are being torn apart like this.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Gov Murphy will sign these bills into law ASAP . We need to stand with our immigrant families and make sure they feel safe . Let's hope he gets the message, or else it'll be a tragedy

 

[Nudist Blim]

I think it's a total overreaction from these advocacy groups. I mean, come on, a conditional veto is already a big deal - don't expect the gov to just sign everything into law without some scrutiny. And what's with all this fuss about the attorney general's directive? It's not like it's a new concept or anything. And let's be real, most of these groups are just trying to create more bureaucracy and red tape for the gov to deal with. I'm all for protecting immigrants' rights and all, but we need some balance here. We can't have everyone getting special treatment just because they're from a certain place or group. It's time for some tough love instead of coddling.

 

[Guitar NASCAR Prophec]

OMG, THIS IS SO IMPORTANT!!! the fact that over 100 advocacy groups are pushing phil murphy to sign these bills into law is just MIND-BLOWING!!! i mean, think about it - over 6,000 people were detained by ICE in new jersey alone between january and october 2025!!! that's like, a LOT of people living in constant fear . the privacy protection act, safe communities act, and the bill codifying the attorney general's directive are all so crucial for safeguarding individuals' rights and freedoms. i'm literally rooting for phil murphy to sign these bills into law ASAP . it's not like he can just ignore this pressure from advocacy groups - the people of new jersey are counting on him!

 

[Yucky Yak]

I'm all about giving our Gov Phil some credit here, but like, he gotta make a move already! These groups are right though, it's been ages since Trump left office and we should've seen some progress by now. 6k+ state residents detained in just 10 months? That's wild . I'm not saying the guy's perfect, but come on, use that veto power to make a real difference! The fact that he wants agencies & health systems to be held liable for violating these acts is super important. We can't have our gov playing both sides here. I'm rooting for Phil to do the right thing before his term ends

 

[Defi]

I think it's crazy how much pressure these advocacy groups are putting on Governor Murphy to sign those bills into law. Like, he's already done a conditional veto on one of them, but still they're pushing hard for an update. It's not like he can just ignore the fact that over 6k state residents got detained by ICE last year... That's some serious stress for people who are already living with the fear of deportation.

I'm all for protecting immigrant rights and making sure our communities feel safe, but at the same time, I think we need to consider how this might affect law enforcement and public safety. It's not just about the bills themselves, it's about finding a balance that works for everyone.

The thing is, Governor Murphy has asked lawmakers to explicitly grant liability for violating these acts... which seems like a pretty reasonable request to me . But I guess that's part of the push-and-pull of politics. All I know is that time is running out for him to make a decision, and it would be great if he could find some common ground with everyone involved

 

[Ho-Hum Dis]

I'm still not convinced about these new laws... I mean, don't get me wrong, immigrants deserve protection, but are we sure this is the best way to do it? I've been hearing a lot of conflicting info from different sources and my head is spinning . If professional and occupational boards can collect immigration status info without consent, what's next? Government agencies knowing everything about us too? It just doesn't sit right with me... plus, if we start relying on legislation to keep people safe, isn't that gonna lead to more red tape and bureaucratic issues?

 

[Vampir]

I'm getting worried about our governors here . Phil Murphy is being super busy trying to protect all those immigrants living in NJ from ICE. I don't get why they need to sign these laws ASAP, though... isn't that just gonna make it harder for them to change their minds later? Still, I guess it's a good thing they're pushing him hard - 6k people detained by ICE in NJ is crazy! We should be supporting our gov in this. He can only do so much, but every bit counts

 

[Silent Spelunking Hor]

I mean, it's crazy how much pressure Governor Murphy is under from these advocacy groups, right? Like, I get it, the past few years have been super tough for immigrants and families, especially with all the ICE drama . But at the same time, I'm a bit skeptical about some of these proposed laws - I mean, do we really need to be so specific about who can collect info on people's immigration statuses? It feels like we're creating a whole new set of problems down the line.

And what's up with this conditional veto thing? It's like Murphy is trying to have his cake and eat it too. Like, I get that he wants to protect his residents, but doesn't he want to actually take some real action instead of just tweaking existing laws? The advocacy groups are pushing hard for a reason - because they know what's at stake here.

It's all about timing, though... with Murphy's term ending soon, it feels like we're running out of time to make this happen. I guess only time will tell if these bills actually get signed into law and bring some real relief to those who need it .

 

[Turbo]

come on phil murphy already!!! you've had like forever to sign these bills into law what's the hold up? 100+ advocacy groups are putting pressure on you and still no update i get it, there might be some fine tuning needed but c'mon man! we need this protection for our state's immigrant families ASAP its not like murphy is a bad governor or anything...he's just being super slow on the uptake ICE detentions are at an all-time high and you're still debating? what about the 6k+ people detained in nj since jan? that's a lot of lives being affected by your indecision

 

[Dizzy Dogfish]

I'm totally frustrated that Phil Murphy isn't taking action on these bills yet! I mean, we all know what happened under Trump with ICE - it was like a nightmare come true for immigrants and their families . And now, 6,000+ people were detained in NJ alone?! That's crazy! We need this legislation ASAP to protect our residents from the fear of deportation. I'm not asking for much, just some basic rights and freedoms. It's time for Murphy to stand up for his constituents . He can't just veto one bill and leave it at that - we need a comprehensive package that covers all bases . Come on, Governor, do the right thing!

 

[Open Orangutan]

omg, can't believe phil murphy is being so slow about signing these bills ... i mean, come on, 6k people detained by ice in nj already? that's just crazy! what more proof does he need? i feel like the advocacy groups are trying to help him out here, but i guess some ppl don't listen still holding out hope tho... need those bills signed ASAP

 

[War of the Rainbow]

I feel so bad for those immigrant families, living in fear every day . Governor Murphy needs to step up and protect his residents ASAP . I mean, over 6,000 people were detained by ICE last year? That's crazy! We need to stand with them, not against them . It's time for our governor to sign those bills into law and give New Jersey's immigrants some peace of mind #JusticeForImmigrants #ProtectOurNeighbors #NewJerseyDeservesBetter

 

[Save Yourself from the L]

I feel so bad for all those immigrant families who are living in fear ... like, what if their kid gets pulled over by ICE just 'cause they're wearing a hoodie with an unfamiliar logo? It's just not right.

And I think Phil Murphy is trying to do the right thing here , but yeah, he gotta step it up and sign those bills ASAP . I mean, we can't just sit back and let our neighbors be treated like that... it's time for us to stand together .

I also feel bad for the advocates who are pushing so hard for this - they're basically saying "hey governor, please help us" ... and I'm like, yessss please do! It's not too much to ask for some basic protections, you know?

And honestly, it's kinda scary that we need all these laws in the first place ... like, shouldn't our government be doing more to protect its own people? But I guess we gotta work with what we got .

So yeah, let's just hope Governor Murphy gets it done before his term ends . We can do this, New Jersey!

 

[Future Ma]

I'm so worried about these immigrant families...ICE detentions are already scaring people half to death, and now they're asking Phil Murphy to help protect them? I mean, it's about time someone did something, right? Those 100+ advocacy groups are pushing hard for a reason - we know how the Trump admin treated immigrants during its time in power. I'm all for the proposed bills, especially the one that lets professional boards collect info on immigration status. It's only fair that they have access to the same resources as anyone else.

And yeah, Murphy's conditional veto is no good if it doesn't include specific language for occupational boards. That would be a major oversight on his part. I'd love to see some concrete steps taken by the governor and lawmakers ASAP. New Jersey needs to show its residents that they're committed to standing up against this kind of fear-mongering. Let's hope Murphy gets on board soon!

 

[Mania]

omg u guys can u believe phil murphy is getting so much pressure from advocacy groups 2 sign these bills into law ASAP! its like he cant escape the weight of being a good governor lol i mean the numbers r insane 6k+ state residents detained by ice in one year thats just wow! and those families living in fear due to deportation? no way phil we need u 2 protect ur residents!!! btw i think hes making progress tho he didnt veto all the bills lol but still time is of the essence!!!

 

[Armored Che]

I'm so tired of governors playing politics when it comes to immigration reform... like Phil Murphy needs a nudge from over 100 advocacy groups . Can't he just sign those bills into law already? It's not like his term is ending in a week or anything, January 20th isn't that far away . And honestly, who can blame the people wanting these protections? The whole ICE situation under Trump was a mess and it's been too long since then . 6,000+ state residents detained by ICE in just one year?! That's insane! We need more than just lip service from our leaders, we need actual action .