Monday, August 6, 2007
Trenton, NJ

LEAGUE APPLAUDS GOVERNOR ON CREATION OF BLUE RIBBON PANEL ON IMMIGRATION POLICY

The New Jersey League of Municipalities applauds the announcement of the creation of the Governor's Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel on Immigrant Policy. Governor Corzine is scheduled to sign an executive order creating this panel at 1:30 p.m. on today, August 6, 2007 at the Flag Plaza in Liberty State Park.

The Governor's Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel will be charged with developing recommendations for a comprehensive and strategic statewide approach to successfully integrating the growing immigrant population in the State. The Advisory Panel is expected to look at a number of areas such as education, citizenship status, employment/workforce training, civil rights, fair housing, healthcare, language proficiency and other key areas as the Advisory Panel may identify. The Advisory Panel will report their findings and recommendations to the Governor by the eighteenth month after their organizational meeting.

The Advisory Panel will consist of twenty-seven (27) members. The Governor will appoint eighteen (18) public members, who will serve at his pleasure, from various arenas. There will be two (2) legislative members, one each from the African - American and Latino Legislative Caucuses.  There will be seven (7) Commissioners or their designees who will serve as ex-officio members.

Mayor Michael Wildes of Englewood, Chair of the League of Municipalities’ Task Force on Immigration, said “While Congress stands silently on the sidelines watching our broken immigration system fester, I applaud our Governor’s initiative as he clearly appreciates our national heritage and understands the challenges facing our state and nation.”

For further information, contact Bill Dressel, League Executive Director, at (609) 695-3481. ext. 122 or cell number (609) 915-9072.