Securing Access to Justice
Why New Jersey Needs to Prioritize Legal Representation for Unaccompanied Children
Today, we need your help more than ever! Join us in advocating for legal representation for unaccompanied children in New Jersey, where the number of released unaccompanied children from federal custody ranks 5th in the United States.
The New Jersey Legislature is currently considering budget requests as they work with the Governor’s Proposed Budget for FY2025. We need your support to call on our legislature to restore funding for the Legal Representation for Children and Youth Program to last year’s level. This program ensures that vulnerable children receive quality legal representation and support as they integrate into our communities. Providing these services helps unaccompanied children feel supported and safe, so they can thrive and contribute positively to our communities. With your support, we can continue to make an impact in their lives and create a brighter future for all children who call New Jersey home.
🛈 Here’s what you need to know:
🔸 Governor Murphy’s proposed 2025 budget includes $4.5 million in funding for the legal services to unaccompanied children to provide legal representation and case management to unaccompanied children and similarly situated youth living in New Jersey. This is a reduced level of funding from last year’s passed budget which included $7.5 million for this program. With the increasing number of children and youth released to families in our state, we need to develop a pipeline of high-quality advocates who can provide the necessary legal services and the support to these vulnerable children. With robust support of this program, we believe that we can make a real difference in the lives of unaccompanied children in New Jersey. To achieve this, we are calling on the NJ legislature to restore funding to the full $7.5 million level, by including an additional $3 million budget resolution for the Legal Representation for Children and Youth Program. This is essential to ensure that children receive the quality legal representation they need in their removal defense, as well as the necessary capacity building and training for current and future legal providers.
🗣️ Contact your Representatives:
Call or email your State Representative and urge them to support level funding at $7.5 million for the Legal Representation Program. Urge them to support Budget Resolution Assembly # 4222 / Senate # 4008
🗣️ Urge State Senate and Assembly leadership:
Call or email your Budget and Appropriations Leaders and urge them to include level funding, at $7.5 million for the Legal Representation for Children and Youth Program, in the final budget. Urge them to support Budget Resolution Assembly # 4222 / Senate # 4008
Sample Script:
Hello,
My name is [Your Name], and I'm contacting you as a constituent and community advocate to ask for your support for renewing the Legal Representation for Children and Youth Program at its current funding. We are seeking a $3 million increase from the proposed budget to keep funding at $7.5 million for this program. Keeping the current funding level is essential to ensure unaccompanied children living across the entire state have access to expert legal representation in their defense against deportation back to dangerous conditions, as well as providing social services support to give them a fair opportunity to integrate into their communities and thrive in New Jersey. Your support and co-sponsorship of this resolution is vital to the continued provision of these services. Including full funding at $7.5 million for this program in the final budget will ensure children in our state have a meaningful chance for safe and healthy lives in New Jersey.
Can we count on your support for budget resolution Assembly# 4222 / Senate# 4008?
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Juanita* is a teenager in New Jersey from Central America who survived severe hardships during their journey to the United States.
“NJCIC means so much to me and my family, it has given me hope and security I thought I would never have. NJCIC has changed my life for the better and I can’t thank them enough!”
*name has been changed to protect client’s identity
Learn more about Juanita's story