TRENTON - On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced three bills to strengthen public safety and trust across New Jersey's immigrant communities. This package includes S-5038, which would codify the Attorney General's "Strengthening Trust Between Law Enforcement and Immigrant Communities" directive, also known as the "Immigrant Trust Directive."

The bill's prime sponsor, Senator Britnee Timberlake (D-Essex), issued the following statement on the advancement of this pivotal legislation:

"Racist and xenophobic policies and actions at any level of government have far‑reaching consequences not only for our state, but for the entire nation,” said Senator Timberlake. “Residents have been unlawfully targeted and detained by the federal government solely because of their ethnicity or the color of their skin. One of the earliest and most disturbing examples was right here in New Jersey, when a U.S. Army veteran was detained at Newark Airport despite having served this country with honor, held and questioned simply because of where he was born and what he looked like.

“As legislators in New Jersey, we have a responsibility to ensure that such injustices never take root in our vibrant and diverse communities. That means advancing legislation and taking bold steps to protect all people, uphold our Constitution, and reflect the inclusive values of a nation founded by immigrants.

"We must ensure that everyone, citizens and immigrants alike, is afforded the protections promised by the Constitution and treated fairly by law enforcement. No one should ever be singled out or targeted because of their race. Discriminatory and abusive practices, such as those encouraged by the current administration, will leave a lasting stain on our country’s history, just as racism already has. Furthermore, the recent killing of Renee Good, a 37‑year‑old white woman from Minneapolis, a law‑abiding citizen, and a mother, demonstrates that the egregious and unacceptable behavior attributed to ICE affects people of all backgrounds."