By New Jersey State House News Service intern reporters Victoria Gladstone of The College of New Jersey and Paige Britt, Emma Ferschweiler, Madison Miller, and Abby Thomas, all of Rowan University
This is the fourth story in a multi-part series examining key issues in the 2025 New Jersey governor’s race. With the primary election coming up on June 10, and early voting starting this week, this series aims to provide voters with clear, comparative information on where each candidate stands. For more, visit our 2025 Primary Voters Guide , and read previous installments on property taxes , climate and energy , and transportation.
President Donald Trump’s second term began in January with a promised crackdown on undocumented foreign residents, leading to coast-to-coast Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainments and deportations.
Some candidates in June’s gubernatorial primary are taking strong stances on immigration in New Jersey, which, according to Pew Research Center, has an estimated 475,000 foreign-born people who could face enforcement action. Since October 2020, federal agents based in Newark have arrested 32,251 people suspected of evading the immigration system, according to ICE data. About 10% of those arrests have occurred during Trump’s second term and there have been ICE raids in the Hopewell Valley.
Democrats
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was arrested May 9 while protesting outside Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed ICE detention facility in Newark, also supports the Act. He says the facility lacks local permits and has called for more legal defense funding for foreign-born residents, especially students and Green Card holders. “We should have a cadre of lawyers, through nonprofits that we support,” he said.
In Jersey City, with one of the highest foreign-born populations in the United States, Mayor Steven Fulop says he has the most immigration-related experience of any candidate. His administration has helped settle refugees from Ukraine and Afghanistan, guided undocumented residents to essential services during the pandemic, and established what he says is the nation’s only DOJ-accredited, in-house municipal immigration office.
Fulop supports passing the Immigrant Trust Act and reappointing Attorney General Matt Platkin, citing his litigation efforts against Trump-era policies. “Trenton needs to send a message that we will support those non-profits because they are supporting crucial parts of our community,” Fulop said. “Continuity for the state is really important.”
U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill supports strong borders but says due process must be protected.
“People are really scared,” she said. “That’s why, as governor, I would stand against any infringements on the Constitution.” Sherrill said officers should not be complicit in detaining individuals without charges and supports limiting local police cooperation with ICE outside of violent crime cases.
Former state Senate President Steve Sweeney said people with criminal backgrounds should be deported, but others who work, pay taxes, and contribute deserve a path to citizenship. “It’s not fair for someone who’s been working here for 10 years… to live in fear right now,” he said. Sweeney opposes the Immigrant Trust Act, saying it duplicates the 2018 directive limiting police cooperation with ICE and calling both ineffective.
New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller opposes requiring local law enforcement to assist ICE.
“As an immigrant myself… one of the things I never had to worry about was armed ICE agents coming into our classrooms and ripping my brother and I out of our seats,” he said. Spiller supports passing the Immigrant Trust Act.
U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer did not respond to multiple requests for comment. In January, he broke with other House Democrats and voted with Republicans to support the detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants charged with low-level crimes.
Republicans
State Sen. Jon Bramnick said he opposes sanctuary policies but supports a pathway to citizenship for law-abiding, longtime residents.
“The concept was to deport the criminals, deport the bad guys,” Bramnick said. “I would like to see a path of citizenship for people who have been here for a long period, who pay taxes.”
Former talk radio host Bill Spadea says he would eliminate sanctuary policies on day one and fully integrate state and local law enforcement with federal immigration authorities.
“On day one… I will fully cooperate with the federal government and bring law enforcement right along,” he said. Spadeaalso advocates lowering the minimum wage in certain industries to encourage more citizen-led entrepreneurship and employment.
Former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac, the son of Ukrainian immigrants, supports mandatory ICE cooperation for all law enforcement, ending state legal aid for undocumented immigrants, and removing sanctuary status across the state.
“Our law enforcement officers should be able to work with our federal officials,” he said. “Sanctuary state status ends. We follow federal law. New Jersey does not have its own immigration policy.”
Jack Ciattarelli, a former assemblyman and 2021 Republican nominee for governor, did not respond to recent interview requests but has said publicly: “On my first day in office, I will sign an executive order removing New Jersey’s sanctuary status.” He also pledged to appoint an attorney general who supports federal immigration enforcement.
Justin Barbera, a contractor, also did not respond to interview requests but has stated he would require full ICE cooperation from all law enforcement and end the state’s sanctuary status: “Sanctuary state status ends. We follow federal law. New Jersey does not have its own immigration policy.”
