State of New Jersey secondary Archives: on Immigration


Bob Hugin: Fully supports pathway to citizenship for innocent DREAMers

"It's a shame that ICE needs to issue press releases telling elected officials to knock off the politics and let them do their jobs. Locking up domestic abusers and violent criminals should never be a partisan issue," said Bob Hugin. "I support a clear path to citizenship for Dreamers--innocent young people brought here illegally by their parents, and a similarly clear path to jail or deportation for criminal illegals who are putting our communities and families at risk."
Source: InsiderNJ.com on 2018 New Jersey Senate race Apr 25, 2018

Bob Hugin: Path to citizenship for people building a productive life

Q: Immigration: Path to citizenship for DACA ("Dreamers"), who grew up in US after being brought here illegally?

Robert Hugin (R): Yes. "I support a path to citizenship for people who are here building a constructive, productive life."

Robert Menendez (D): Yes. "These kids have grown up as Americans." Also helped craft broader bipartisan immigration bill.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Jersey Senate race Oct 9, 2018

Christie Todd Whitman: NJ should be compensated for costs associated with illegals

NJ alleges that "as a direct result of the federal government's failure to control its borders, NJ is improperly forced to bear the financial and administrative costs of imprisonment of illegal aliens who are convicted of crimes, [as well as the] costs of education of illegal aliens." These costs for 1994 are approximately $50.5 million for incarceration and $162 million for education. NJ seeks a declaratory judgment that it has a right to reimbursement from the federal government.
Source: State of New Jersey & Gov. Whitman in 91 F.3d 463 Jul 29, 1996

Hirsh Singh: Build that wall; enact merit-based immigration policies

We want individuals interested in assimilating and adding value to America to have a clear and secure process to earn American citizenship. That means ZERO illegal immigration. Build that wall and enact merit-based immigration policies! Individuals in the process of entering our country legally (and the businesses that need them) deserve a shorter, less complicated immigration system that prioritizes merit.
Source: 2020 New Jersey Senate website HirshSingh.com Feb 5, 2020

Hirsh Singh: Illegal immigration should not be allowed

Singh said, "I love legal immigration. Illegal immigration should not be allowed."

"It's a poke in the eye of every single person who's come here, wanting to become American -- going through the process," he continued. "Going through years of getting a green card, becoming a resident, then applying for citizenship -- for someone who comes here illegally and is getting the rights of someone who's gone through the process, [it's unfair]."

Source: Fox News on 2020 New Jersey Senate race Jan 7, 2020

Hirsh Singh: Illegal immigrants getting driver's licenses will ruin state

On immigrant rights: "Allowing illegal immigrants to get a driver's license in NJ will irreversibly ruin our state and permanently turn NJ into a Sanctuary State. We must stop this," Singh said. "If Governor Murphy gets his way New Jersey will be flooded by illegals looking for driver's licenses.and we know what that means."
Source: Shore News Network on 2020 New Jersey Senate race Dec 6, 2019

Hirsh Singh: End undermining the sanctity of American citizenship

New Jersey Democrats recently followed in the footsteps of California and New York. Driver's licenses will now be issued to illegal aliens. If you or I wished to get a New Jersey driver's license, we'd need to provide six points of identification. If an illegal alien wishes to get a license, all it takes is a single utility bill. The Democrat Party is treating us like second-class citizens. It's time to end the massive abuse of power that undermines the sanctity of American citizenship.
Source: 2020 New Jersey Senate campaign website HirshSingh.com Jun 11, 2020

Jack Ciattarelli: Let local law agencies work with ICE on illegal immigration

NO MORE SANCTUARY STATE: We are a nation of immigrants, but also one of laws. Jack Ciattarelli will allow local law enforcement agencies to work with federal agencies (e.g., ICE) to address illegal immigration.
Source: 2020-21 New Jersey governor campaign website Jack4NJ.com Apr 2, 2020

Jeff Bell: Protect the borders; prevent illegal entry

Question topic: Government should enforce laws designed to protect the border and to prevent illegal entry of persons into the country.

Bell: Strongly Agree

Source: Faith2Action iVoterGuide on 2014 New Jersey Senate race Sep 30, 2014

Joe Rullo: Eliminate sanctuary cities across NJ

Illegal immigration destroyed the Landscaping industry for legal businesses following the laws, and is just as devastating to NJ jobs. It's difficult to compete with a business not paying payroll taxes, employee comp, and not following the same rules. All the jobs lost are directly proportional to NJ unemployment. Just ask business owners following the rules. Ask the employees unemployed or underemployed. Imagine the losses to employee comp insurance revenue and state income taxes. The impact on rates for businesses following the law!

Our police are overburdened with hands virtually tied because NJ is a sanctuary state. Out of state license plates and DMV fraud are the law of the land. As Governor I will implement E- Verify for all employees working in NJ and work with President Trump to eliminate sanctuary cities across NJ. Everyone must follow the same rules in business and follow the law. Our veterans will of NJ will be first priority in NJ hospitals not illegal immigrants.

Source: 2017 New Jersey Gubernatorial campaign website Rullo2017.com Jan 17, 2017

Kim Guadagno: Against sanctuary state

Guadagno's running mate, Carlos Rendo, blasted Murphy's plan to make New Jersey a sanctuary state, describing it as an unfair policy to police officers working to lock up criminals who are undocumented immigrants. "We're going to release criminals from jail after these gentlemen--these men and women--work day and night to put them in there, and they get convicted and then they get released?" Rendo said. "How is that reasonable? How is that good policy?"
Source: The Observer on 2017 New Jersey governor race Aug 23, 2017

Murray Sabrin: Protect the borders; prevent illegal entry

Question topic: Government should enforce laws designed to protect the border and to prevent illegal entry of persons into the country.

Sabrin: Strongly Agree

Source: Faith2Action iVoterGuide on 2014 New Jersey Senate race Jul 2, 2014

Ray Lesniak: No in-state tuition for unlawful immigrants

Q: Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative?

A: No.

Q: Do you support state funding for charter schools?

A: No.

Q: Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from New Jersey high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities in New Jersey?

A: Yes.

Lesniak adds, "a yes or no response is virtually meaningless as a response to many of these questions.

Source: Vote Smart 2017-2018 New Jersey Political Courage Test Nov 1, 2017

Rich Pezzullo: Opposes pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants

As the great-grandson of immigrants from Italy and Ireland who came legally to this country, Rich opposes proposals to give amnesty and eventually citizenship to as many as eleven million illegal aliens. He believes we would be better served if we used a system where immigrants were sponsored, and did not become a drain on taxpayers, and wants to make English our official language. Rich Pezzullo believes that the border should be secured.
Source: 2018 New Jersey Senate campaign website pezzullo.com Jan 1, 2018

Rik Mehta: For the wall; against healthcare for illegal immigrants

Rik supports building the wall and opposes taxpayer-funded education and healthcare for illegal immigrants. While compassionate towards all those seeking a better life in the United States, Rik believes that immigrants coming to this country should do it the way his parents did--legally. Rik is also completely opposed to Governor Phil Murphy's radical Sanctuary State policies, including college tuition aid, legal aid, and drivers licenses for illegals.
Source: 2020 New Jersey Senate campaign website RikForNJ.com Mar 18, 2020

Robert Menendez: DREAMer kids have grown up as Americans

Q: Immigration: Path to citizenship for DACA ("Dreamers"), who grew up in US after being brought here illegally?

Robert Hugin (R): Yes. "I support a path to citizenship for people who are here building a constructive, productive life."

Robert Menendez (D): Yes. "These kids have grown up as Americans." Also helped craft broader bipartisan immigration bill.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Jersey Senate race Oct 9, 2018

Seth Kaper-Dale: Fought deportation splitting families

Seth has fought to keep families together who are facing the deportation of a parent. This has resulted in crafting legislation and finding sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as state resolutions of support. This work culminated in 11 months of extending Sanctuary to 9 fathers, with the end result being Enforcement and Removal Operations eventually backing off and extending Stays of Removal to these fathers.
Source: 2018 New Jersey Governor website KaperDaleForGovernor.com Aug 8, 2017

Steve Fulop: More outreach to involve immigrants in civic life

Q: Your parents emigrated from Romania, and your grandparents survived the Holocaust. How does their experience affect you?

A: I'm certainly more conscious of immigrant experience. I've seen firsthand the challenges my parents, and family, have experienced with regards to culture and civic involvement. My family was involved politically in that they were active voters, but not otherwise. That's consistent with a lot of immigrant communities. To involve immigrant and first-generation communities in civic life, we have to do a lot more outreach. From my own family's standpoint, I can recognize how self-conscious my parents can be of the fact that they're immigrants, have an accent, come from a different place. They're very aware of it even when others don't seem to care. I think that's the experience of a lot of immigrants as well.

Source: The Forward on 2017 New Jersey Gubernatorial race Sep 5, 2016

Stuart Meissner: Not fair for illegal immigrants to cut the line

Meissner said that "As a child of an immigrant, I'm in favor of legal immigration as the backbone of our country, but I also feel strongly about law and order.' He added "It isn't fair for illegal immigrants to cut the line in front of legal ones."
Source: Jewish Link NJ e-zine on 2020 New Jersey Senate race Jan 22, 2020

  • The above quotations are from State of New Jersey Politicians: secondary Archives.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Immigration.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
2016 Presidential contenders on Immigration:
  Republicans:
Gov.Jeb Bush(FL)
Dr.Ben Carson(MD)
Gov.Chris Christie(NJ)
Sen.Ted Cruz(TX)
Carly Fiorina(CA)
Gov.Jim Gilmore(VA)
Sen.Lindsey Graham(SC)
Gov.Mike Huckabee(AR)
Gov.Bobby Jindal(LA)
Gov.John Kasich(OH)
Gov.Sarah Palin(AK)
Gov.George Pataki(NY)
Sen.Rand Paul(KY)
Gov.Rick Perry(TX)
Sen.Rob Portman(OH)
Sen.Marco Rubio(FL)
Sen.Rick Santorum(PA)
Donald Trump(NY)
Gov.Scott Walker(WI)
Democrats:
Gov.Lincoln Chafee(RI)
Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY)
V.P.Joe Biden(DE)
Gov.Martin O`Malley(MD)
Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren(MA)
Sen.Jim Webb(VA)

2016 Third Party Candidates:
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Roseanne Barr(PF-HI)
Robert Steele(L-NY)
Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA)
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Page last updated: Feb 18, 2023