45+ Leading Immigrant, Faith, Labor and Community Groups Call on Legislature to Support Fund for Excluded New Jerseyans in FY2022

As state forecasts $10 billion surplus,  Groups Urge state legislature to allocate $989 Million in state funds to the Fund for Excluded New Jerseyans

(Trenton, New Jersey, June 15, 2021) – Today, more than 45 immigrant, faith, labor and advocacy groups sent a letter to Senate President Sweeney, Speaker Coughlin and Budget Chairs Sarlo and Pintor Marin urging the New Jersey state legislature to add additional funds to the Fund for Excluded New Jerseyans in the FY2022 budget. As the state forecasts an unexpected $10.1 Billion surplus heading into FY2022, the groups called on the state to provide aid to low-income individuals that have been left behind by adding $989 million to the Fund for Excluded New Jerseyans, created by Gov. Murphy in May.

“Fully funding this program is not only an investment in the wellbeing and health of workers and families across the state, but it would also serve as an economic stimulus. As workers and their families receive much needed financial relief, they are likely to spend these funds quickly and locally,” the letter said.

On May 7, 2021, Gov. Murphy launched the Fund for Excluded New Jerseyans, a fund to provide one-time relief to low-income individuals excluded from federal relief programs that can prove they have been directly impacted by the pandemic. While this fund is a welcome first step, the initial $40 million allocated to the program will serve less than 10 percent of those individuals and families that are in need of aid.

The groups called on the state legislature to provide sufficient support for the Fund for Excluded New Jerseyans so that all people left behind from aid that are in need are able to access relief. That means $2,000 payments per excluded individual and unemployment-like benefits in the form of $600 per week payments to workers that have lost their jobs during the pandemic but do not qualify for unemployment insurance due to their immigration status. The total cost of this program is approximately $989 million.