New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg plan to take action against President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration plan. On Tuesday, the two Democrats announced that the New Jersey Senate will act next week on a resolution to condemn Trump’s “Muslim ban” and other executive orders including the withholding of federal funds from cities where undocumented immigrants are not prosecuted for federal immigration law violations. There are several “sanctuary cities” in New Jersey.
According to the New Jersey Legislature, a resolution is an action of the legislature that “expresses the policies, sentiment, opinions or direction of one or both Houses.” According to Sweeney, such an action from the senate is critical.
“I believe it is important that the New Jersey Senate takes a strong and unified stand against the discriminatory, unconstitutional and un-American actions of Donald Trump with his Muslim ban, his newly-erected barriers to immigration and his attempt to target New Jersey cities that are home to immigrants to America,” said Senator Sweeney. “Our rights as Americans are under assault so it is important that we demonstrate leadership showing that bigotry and discrimination have no place in our state or in our nation.”
Weinberg said that Trump’s immigration actions are not in line with American values.
“Discrimination against any group is an attack against all of our rights, and we will not stand for it. We cannot shy away from our responsibility to be a voice for the residents we took an oath to represent,” Weinberg said. “We must stand up for all of our residents and for those who come to this great nation seeking refuge and searching for a better way of life for their children and families, just like the countless immigrants and refugees who came before them and built this nation since its founding. All of us have an obligation to oppose these discriminatory policies. In these turbulent times, and as leaders elected by the people of New Jersey, our silence is not golden.”
According to a statement released by Weinberg and Sweeney, the leaders will attempt to get support from all New Jersey senators on the resolution. The Senate will consider the measure during a Monday, February 6 voting session.
