N.J. immigration bills gain traction
The killings of three college students in Newark spurred proposals, but quick action is unlikely.
TRENTON - With Congress fumbling immigration reform, state legislators have stepped in to pick up the ball.
Lawmakers in 41 states have enacted 170 immigration bills this year, more than double the number enacted in 2006, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
New Jersey is one state that hasn't approved immigration-related legislation. But that may change since the Aug. 4 execution-style killings of three college students in a Newark schoolyard.
Six suspects have been arrested in the shootings, which sparked outrage in New Jersey's largest city. One, Jose Carranza, 28, is an illegal Peruvian immigrant who had been previously arrested on assault and weapons charges and again on child-rape charges.
Carranza got out on bail each time, and officials said they never checked his immigration status, although federal officials said they would have detained Carranza had they been notified.
Democrats and Republicans are proposing legislation, but quick action is unlikely. The Legislature adjourned on June 21 and isn't expected to return until after the November election, when all 120 legislative seats will be decided.
Democrats control the Assembly, 50-30, and the Senate, 22-18.
"It will more than likely be after November," said Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D., Mercer). "This is not a knee-jerk response."
The only major action in New Jersey thus far came via an executive order Gov. Corzine signed on Aug. 6, after the killings but before Carranza was arrested. It established a 27-member panel that has 15 months to recommend how best to help immigrants with education, citizenship, civil rights, housing, health care, language and job issues.
Once Carranza's status became known, Attorney General Anne Milgram ordered law enforcement on Wednesday to notify federal immigration officials whenever an undocumented immigrant is arrested for an indictable offense or drunken driving.
Since the killings, State Sen. Shirley Turner (D., Mercer) has proposed requiring undocumented immigrants to post full cash bail.
Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (R., Union) has proposed requiring county prosecutors to notify federal authorities whenever an undocumented alien is charged.
State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D., Bergen) has proposed requiring law enforcement to notify federal officials whenever an undocumented alien is arrested for a felony.
And Assemblyman Richard Merkt (R., Morris) has said he would amend legislation he introduced in June 2006 prohibiting jails from releasing some undocumented aliens. He would revise the bill so it covers all arrested undocumented aliens.