New Jersey's 2027 budget aims for affordability, expands immigrant deportation defense

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has enacted the state's fiscal year 2027 appropriations bill, a budget designed to enhance affordability, safeguard children and families, and increase government accountability. A key component of this budget is the expansion of the state's legal defense initiative for immigrants. The administration announced that the state will bolster its support system for migrant communities through the Detained and Deported Immigrant Defense Initiative (DDDI). This program aims to prevent arbitrary and unjust deportations by ensuring that migrants facing removal proceedings have access to free legal representation. The initiative is a collaboration involving the Governor's Office, the Office of New Americans, Legal Services of New Jersey, the American Friends Service Committee, Rutgers Law School, and Seton Hall Law School. Residents of New Jersey who are detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and require legal assistance can access the DDDI program through a referral form available on the state's website. The program offers specialized, free legal advice and representation to eligible migrants at risk of deportation. However, the DDDI team operates under ICE's facility access rules and has limitations on its capacity, meaning it cannot guarantee representation for all applicants. Governor Sherrill stated that affordability was the guiding principle for every decision made during her tenure, and the approval of this budget fulfills that promise. The $60.7 billion budget for fiscal year 2027 is intended to control spending effectively without imposing new tax burdens on residents.

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When I took office, I promised New Jersey families that affordability would be the guiding principle for every decision we made. With the passage of our first budget, we are delivering on that promise.