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Briana: Tonight on "NJ Spotlight News," ice raid in Newark.

Local fish market is one of the first federal targets of President Trump's new immigration policy.

>> None of these people were rapists or murderers or criminals.

The problem with it is that ice went in without a warrant.

Briana: With yet another stroke of the pen, the White House blocks refugees from coming to America and is seen as a threat to New Jersey churches that once offered sanctuary.

>> In the past to offer century wasn't to hide somebody.

We weren't interested in being accused of aiding and abetting offering century was for the sake of highlighting what we felt was an injustice.

Briana: Also, feeling the squeeze page one central Jersey school district considers selling school to fill a big hole in their budget.

And of New Jersey's Republican candidates for governor take stock of President Trump's first week in Washington.

>> How often do you get politicians who campaign a certain way, then they win, they give a speech, they talk about what they are going to do, and then in literally the first week they start doing it all?

Briana: "NJ Spotlight News" begins right now.

>> From NJ PBS Studios, this is "NJ Spotlight News" with Briana Vannozzi.

Briana: Thanks for joining us this Friday night.

I am Briana Vannozzi.

We begin with a few top headlines.

Federal immigration agents rated a new work business, detaining workers and issuing court slips to others.

Mayor Ras Baraka confirmed that ICE agents carried out the operation at a local fish market and asked to see employees' IDs, but according to the mayor didn't have a warrant.

Baraka and immigrant rights representatives who spoke at a press conference wouldn't give details about those who were rounded up, but said three workers didn't have documentation and were detained.

A fourth was an American citizen and military veteran who was released.

ICE agents took the thing a prince in photos and gave several paperwork to appear in court next month.

>> This is a worksite that employs about 80 to 90 people per day.

We got there, there were 12.

By the time three hours later, three people at come back.

People are scared.

We knew this was going to happen.

What we learned from folks who stayed behind is that ICE walked in like he was there Empire's own conquered land.

They were heavily armed.

There was no prior announcement.

They were blocking off entrances and exits, they were scrambling up delivery ramps, they were banging down bathroom doors to make sure no one was hiding inside.

Briana: The incident comes as President Trump has promised to launch a mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.

ICE confirmed the operation today in a statement saying agents "may encounter U.S. citizens while conducting fieldwork and may request identification to establish an individual's identity, as was the case during a targeted enforcement operation at a worksite today in a Newark, New Jersey."

White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt posted on X that the Trump administration rested 538 people across the country, describing all of them is "illegal immigrant criminals."

Mayor Baraka and Democratic Congress members condemned the raid, calling it unconstitutional.

Mayor Baraka: None of these people were rapists or murderers or criminals.

The problem with it is that ICE went in without a warrant.

We can disagree on politics.

You can disagree with me about the role immigrants play in the economy in my community.

You can disagree with me about the fact that most immigrants are not criminals.

In fact, they are victims of violence in cities.

We can disagree about whether you support mass deportation or not.

But we must agree on is that the thing that separates this country for many other countries around the world is the Constitution of the United States.

Briana: Also tonight, New Jersey is now required to keep a statewide tracking system for rape kits.

Governor Murphy signed a bill directing the Attorney General's office to create an online-based system so anyone from sexual assault victims to police officers or health care workers can track the forensic evidence kits.

It is through what is known as the chain of custody from collection to result.

They contain biological evidence like hair or saliva taken from a victim to identify perpetrators.

Advocates pushed for the bill as a way to help reduce the backlog of untested evidence and provide more transparencys to victims.

A 20 report found law enforcement agencies had more than 2800 untested kids in their -- kits in their possession.

Attorney General map Plotkin last year issued a directive ordering all kits submitted to law enforcement to be tested and made more accessible.

A massive budget hole could cause the Jackson school district to close one of its schools.

Jackson Board of Education is considering a proposal to combine its two public high schools and close Getz middle school with the option of selling or renting the property to help make up a looming $13 million deficit.

According to the board, state aid to Jackson school district dropped from $49 million roughly seven years ago to just over $23 million for the current school year.

That is due to years of declining enrollment with more students attending private schools.

Under the plan, Jackson Memorial's roughly 1400 students would be moved about seven miles away to Jackson Liberty high school starting in September, though it is unclear how the plan would affect staff and other employees.

The Board will hold a public meeting to get more input on February 5 at Jackson Memorial and is scheduled to hold a vote the same night.

Another executive order on immigration signed by President Trump this week suspends the U.S. refugee resettlement program, which vets and helps foreign natives who are many times fleeing more persecution.

The order from the White House says the U.S. cannot absorb large numbers of migrants come in particular refugees, and wants state and local governments to have more say in where the migrants resettle.

It also means thousands of refugees who have been approved to come to the U.S. have had their travel plans canceled.

That includes immigrants who were scheduled to come to New Jersey and the nonprofits and places of worship preparing to welcome them.

Brenda Flanagan reports.

>> I am very clear that we are not offering physical sanctuary.

Brenda: He feels alarmed.

His Highland Park church beckons immigrants seeking shelter from persecution worldwide, helps hundred of them resettle around New Jersey.

Always the Church relied on its special status as a sanctuary, like schools and hospitals long considered off-limits to federal agents.

But the president this week rescinded that policy.

>> They are doing a game.

You're interested in -- we're interested in saying that refugees are a blessing, not a burden.

We are not going to have a physical sanctuary offered to immigrants in this church, even though we have done it many times in the past and we are actually a leader in that nationally.

Brenda: During the first Trump Administration, several Christian Indonesian refugees fled their New Jersey homes and moved into Kaper-Dale's church after ICE started deporting members of their community during routine document checks.

For months the church served as a shield and a symbol.

>> In the past, to offer sanctuary wasn't to hide somebody.

We were not interested in being accused of aiding and abetting.

Offering sanctuary was for the sake of highlighting what we thought was an injustice.

Brenda: He says the president abruptly canceled permits for some 600 refugees expected by his ministry.

Meanwhile, homeland security announced "criminals will no longer be able to hide in America's schools and churches to avoid arrest.

The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense."

Pres.

Trump: we are getting the bad, hard criminals out.

These are as bad as you get, as bad as anybody webzine.

We are taking them out first.

Brenda: Jersey social medias lasted with posts of the ICE tip line, urging report illegal aliens.

The pastor fears for his staff.

>> I am less concerned about challenging government than I am concerned about freewheeling people who seem to want to take matters into their own hands.

They scare me more than the president does.

Brenda: Faith leaders are wrestling with the same dilemma at houses of worship across New Jersey and the nation.

They are mindful of their sacred duty to offer safe haven, but they are also aware of a new extremism.

Social service agencies report similar concerns.

>> The community is afraid.

To a point where people are worried about going to work, they are scared of sending their children to school, kids are afraid to go to school because of the actions of the new administration.

Brenda: Courtney Madsen is with the world church service in New Jersey and also helps settle refugees.

About 60 arrived before Trump shut down the program, leaving more than 130 stranded.

Madsen says they are heartbroken.

>> There is one case where it was a single mom with three children coming to join her sister.

The sister had arranged a place for them to stay, was prepared to help them financially.

The reason they were coming is the kids want to go to school.

Brenda: Advocates say these refugees are not criminals, they have gone through extensive government checks.

>> It is really a shame that the program is being totally suspended.

It is even more a shame, 10,400 refugees have been thoroughly vetted, are ready to travel, have their tickets, and have been told they are not coming.

And that has nothing to do with national security or capacity.

That is just hate.

Brenda: Kaper-Dale refuses to let Trump's politics drive his mission.

>> It is as if we are with an abusive father and we all have to talk about how are we going to keep the abuser at bay.

I don't want to talk about that.

Brenda: The pastor says he will talk about this truth, that this nation was built by immigrants and it flourishes when they are welcomed.

In Highland Park, I am Brenda Flanagan, "NJ Spotlight News."

Briana: GOP leaders in the state say they are energized by the swift actions taken by President Trump during his first hours and days in office, especially around immigration issues.

In an interview for "Reporters Roundtable," the chairman of the New Jersey Republican state committee told David Cruise it feels like there has been a rebirth of the culture of America now that Trump is back in office, and is zeroing in, he says come on problems the U.S. government can help solve.

Here is part of the conversation.

>> I think the American people spoke in the election pretty clearly, they want secure borders, they want criminals removed from the United States.

I don't know all the specifics about the new work rated, but we need to get rid of criminals outside the United States and do what the American people elected President Trump to do, secure the border, eliminate criminals, and let the economy grow and bring inflation down.

David: So the initial reporting that we have heard is that there were no warrants, no activity, no active crime taking place.

Are you OK with agents of the federal government coming into your law office, your accounting office, or any other place of business and detaining people, in some cases actual citizens of the United States?

>> We can talk about hypotheticals all we want.

I'm a believer in the rule of law, and I give government the presumption that what the government does is correct and lawful.

I'm assuming they are abiding by the law.

I am a strict believer in that whether you are Republican or Democrat.

American citizens deserve the full protection of the law.

Every resident deserves that.

If things are illegal, we need to stop them, have them stopped immediately.

If they are legal, we got keep them going.

David: But from what we know -- Bob: we don't know, David.

We can guess all we wanted I'm assuming it is legal.

David: The crux of my question is to juxtapose how this is likely to take place.

Raiding a 7-Eleven just visually is a lot different than raiding a lawyer's office, no?

Bob: Yeah, no, wherever the criminals are, we should get them.

I do believe there are some protections we should afford people, but listen, I've seen so many cases where illegal immigrants have murdered, done rape, and they have been released.

The American people say we are fed up with this, it is time to move on, let's secure the border, eliminate the criminals, and let this economy grow, bring inflation down, do things government should be doing.

Again, governments have to act illegally.

I would not condone any illegal-- act legally.

I would not condone any illegal actions.

David: I think we can agree that reports of rampant criminality among immigrants, undocumented and otherwise, has been a little bit exaggerated.

Bob: I don't know.

I don't know what's been exaggerated or not.

I know that we have had a lot of people die -- David: You say you don't know, but then you say it as if it's fact.

Bob: I don't know the totality of it.

I'm not saying it hasn't been exaggerated, but I don't know that to be a fact either.

I don't know if it's been exaggerated or not.

David: Let's talk a little bit about this first week outside of the raids.

What did you think of the president's speech and how this first week has unfolded so far?

Bob: I have to tell you, I was in Washington for the inauguration.

It was incredibly exciting and exhilarating to feel a weight lifted off the people shoulders, that they could operate businesses with freedom and not worry about government intervention.

It was good enthusiasm for the rebirth of the culture of America, to things right.

The president's speech was a little more like a state of the union than an inaugural speech.

But I have to tell you, he is a man of action.

The guy sleeps like four hours a night and is busy all the time I think a little bit is his strategy of letting people be unnerved by him and not know what to expect from him so they give him a lot of leeway.

He has negotiated a lot of good things already.

I have to tell you, I was down in Princeton for a board meeting a week ago, and you could feel the spirit there.

People haven't felt society had gone too far with identity politics-- have felt society had gone too far with identity politics, we need to go back to a normal time, and despite almost eight years ago saying this I think President Trump is going to bring more normalcy back to America.

Briana: You can see David's entire interview with Bob Hugin on "Reporters Roundtable" this weekend Saturday at 6:00 p.m. and Sunday at 10:00 a.m. on NJ PBS.

Tune into "Chat Box," where David goes one-on-one with Bonnie Watson Coleman Bob President Trump's first week in office.

Both on NJ PBs.

As the first week of President Trump's second tri comes to a close, New Jersey's candidates for governor are taking stock in his agenda and the executive orders issued to deliver on campaign promises New Jersey experienced a surge in Republican voting during our November election.

Clinical analysts say president -- political analysts say president Trump and his policies will play a big role in who voters pick for governor next year.

Ted Goldberg spoke to three of the GOP candidates about their support for the residence plans and how they will navigate New Jersey's more moderate electorate.

Ted: the first week of President Trump's second term is getting rave reviews from Republicans running for governor.

>> A+.

How often do you get politicians to campaign a certain way, then they win, they give a speech, to talk about what they are going to do, and that in literally the first week they start doing it all?

>> As President Trump continues to scale back some of the damage that was done by President Biden's executive orders, I think we will see a difference.

>> when people see somebody actually doing something, that is like a knockout punch.

Ted: These three candidates praised trumps executive orders on immigration, pausing offshore wind, and saying the U.S. government recognizes two genders and it cannot change from birth.

>> He is off to a pretty good start other than what I feel was a pardon that went way overboard and in essence disrespected police officers.

Ted: Senator Jon Bramnick is talking about the blank importance for January 6.

Trump defied Vice President JD Vance who said, violent offenders should not have been pardon.

>> There are a lot of Republicans that are so frozen and so afraid that even when a police officer is assaulted with a stun gun or hit with a pole, they go -- and I get calls, "you can't say anything."

Ted: Former State Senator Ed Durr and radio host Bill Spadea said the pardons were necessary and the country should move on.

>> We need to put J6 behind us there was a lot of issues.

The committee itself took pardons, and if they took pardons, why did they take apart and if they didn't feel they done anything wrong?

>> It is not so much the time you take you to go all the cases, it is the timing of get this done on day one because we have got to move on from January 6 as a country.

If you can be a participant in a rally that turns into a kerfuffle at the Capitol and all of a sudden the FBI is at your door, nobody is safe.

Ted: Jack Ciattearelli declined to comment on the story.

Durr and Spadea are competing to be the Trumpier candidate.

>> What you New Jerseyans one from the governor?

Do they want someone who will stand up even if they disagree -- do they want that person to stand up or do they want that person to be frozen?

>> I mean one lane and the other three guys are another land.

Manon establishment guy and they are almost up -- I am Manon establishment guy and they are all assessments.

Two of the other three agree with President Trump right now, so they say, I'm sure you have seen where they disagree with President Trump.

I'm the only one who has been solidly behind them since day one.

>> More than half of my audience are women, and women make up a majority of the voters in the state, and I have seen that they are starting to move toward the Republicans.

As long as the Republicans can deliver a concise, smart, common sense message.

Ted: These candidates have until the June primaries to make their pitch to voters, with the general election to follow on November 4.

For "NJ Spotlight News," I'm Ted Goldberg.

Briana: In our "Spotlight on Business" report, deeper look at the economic impact of President's immigration policies, especially in a state like New Jersey, which is home to one of the largest immigrant populations in the country.

Economic studies show foreign-born workers account for roughly 30% of the state's workforce, far higher than the national average of 18%.

Some analysts argued the economy wouldn't survive if the workers were to suddenly go away.

To help explain, I'm joined by a business and finance writer.

Good to see you.

Let's talk about the numbers to get into this.

How many undocumented immigrants are in New Jersey, and how much on a monetary scale do they contribute in tax revenue?

>> Good to be here, and good questions.

Credible estimates tell us that there are more than 425,000 undocumented immigrants living in New Jersey, and that these residents contribute more than 1.3 billion dollars annually in state and local tax contributions.

When we talk about that that they are paying the sales tax and the sales tax is the largest single source of revenue for the state budget's general fund, they are indirectly paying property taxes through their monthly rents come and they would be paying things like the gas tax, which helps to maintain our roads and bridges in New Jersey.

A lot of these residents, due to the nature of being undocumented, not drawing the level of services that natural born residents would be drawing because they are typically laying low and maybe not necessarily taking on the full suite of Government services that a natural-born resident would.

Briana: So when analysts you spoke with state our workforce wouldn't survive, it is that true?

Are these jobs wouldn't then be able to be made out by native-born citizens?

John: So there is this idea that there is a tension between an immigrant and someone born in New Jersey and that they might be competing for the same jobs, but what we hear is in many cases the immigrants are actually filling gaps in the labor market that we don't have New Jersey residents to fill.

And so we just got new unemployment data yesterday that indicated the state unemployment rate actually declined over the last year even as we saw a big surge in immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border, and there is a lot of national research that suggests the contribution from havin immigrants -- contribution from immigrants actually help to keep down the rate of inflation including wage growth and kept the nation from tumbling into a recession last year.

Briana: Can you stay on that for a moment?

An argument we often hear is that undocumented immigrants in particular suppress wages, they take jobs at lower pay and keep the wages lower than they would be if they were taken by citizens and especially in areas, lower-skilled areas.

I'm thinking about agriculture , construction.

Can you walk us through that argument and the facts there?

John: Sure.

Whether you have a hard-line position on immigration or are more middle-of-the-road, when we look at the economic effects, it is dollars and cents.

There is also a component of this that is on the consumption side.

There are a lot of immigrants who are here documented or undocumented who are big consumers in our economy.

Most of the analyses suggested it is a net benefit to the economy.

We also hear anecdotal evidence from people who are in certain sectors of New Jersey -- let's say nurseries and landscaping, hospitals, childcare -- that really rely heavily on immigrant labor.

When you talked about the percentage of the labor force in New Jersey that the immigrant community occupies, in some northern counties it is up above 40%.

And so that is where you hear these analysts speak about what would the economy in New Jersey look like if immigrants suddenly went away.

Briana: And how would these local and state governments make up for that?

John: It's a really big question.

We have to put it in context, the state budget is a $60 billion annual spending plan, $30 billion to $40 billion is contributed annually through property taxes in New Jersey.

It may be a small percentage, but when you talk about more than a billion, that would be a hit on the state budget and any community as well.

Briana: John Reitmeyer is our budget and finance writer -- I think I said business -- you can look at his piece on our website, njSpotlightnews.org.

John, thanks.

John: You're welcome.

Briana: That is going to do it for us this week.

Before we go, reminder, you can download the "NJ Spotlight News" so you can listen to us anytime.

I am Briana Vannozzi.

For the entire team at "NJ Spotlight News," thanks for being with us.

Have a great weekend.

We will see you back on Monday.

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