New York, NY, November 20, 2018 … In response to the New Jersey Department of Treasury’s announcement today that it would allocate $2.1 million in supplemental funding to help provide legal representation for residents in the state facing immigration issues, ADL’s New York / New Jersey Regional Director Evan Bernstein released the following statement:

“Thanks to Governor Murphy’s leadership and to our immigration partners in New Jersey, low-income residents who are detained and facing deportation will now be afforded critical legal representation at a time when they need it the most.  As federal immigration policies continue to tear apart families and threaten the rights of immigrants every day, New Jersey is taking a critical step to ensure due process and that immigrants don’t face devastating consequences of deportation simply because they can’t afford legal representation.  We are grateful that the state of New Jersey has decided to invest in immigrants, justice, and equality.  Providing access to counsel in these cases will help keep New Jersey families together and ensure that immigrants are treated with humanity, dignity, and respect.”

ADL is a leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. ADL is the first call when acts of anti-Semitism occur. A global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education and fighting hate online, ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate. More at www.adl.org.