NJ Governor Jon Corzine's

Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel on Immigrant Policy

Mayor Wildes was appointed to New Jersey Governor Corzine's Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel on Immigrant Policy. The Advisory Panel will consist of 27 members. The Governor appointed 18 public members from various arenas. There will be two legislatives members, one each from the African-American and Latino legislative caucuses. There will be seven Commissioners or their designees who will serve as ex-officio members.

Governor Corzine signed Executive Order No. 78 at Liberty Park, NJ establishing the Blue Ribbon Panel on Immigrant Policy that will develop recommendations for a comprehensive and strategic statewide approach to successfully integrating immigrants in the State.

Mayor Wildes, chairman of a state League of Municipalities Immigration Task Force, said the panel will prove helpful "while Congress stands silently on the sidelines watching our broken immigration system fester."

The panel, headed by Public Advocate Ronald Chen, will spend 15 months looking at education, citizenship status, civil rights, fair housing, health care, language proficiency and employment training.

Mayor Wildes, one of four panel members from Bergen County, says working as an immigration attorney and serving as the mayor of a city with a large immigrant population allows him to see both sides of the immigration issue. Wildes added that: "I applaud the Governor for taking on this important initiative and stand ready to serve. It is my prayer that we will meet this challenge seamlessly so we are not at risk for bringing people into the system and treat them with dignity."

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CLICK HERE: Blue Ribbon Public Hearing 6/11/08

Governor's Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel

on Immigrant Policy to hold Second Public Hearing

CLICK HERE: Department of the Public Advocate

TRENTON, NJ –On Tuesday, March 11th, the Governor's Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel on Immigrant Policy (Immigrant Policy Panel) will hold its second public hearing on issues confronting New Jersey's immigrant population.

The public hearing will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Bridgeton Senior High School, Auditorium, 111 North West Avenue, Bridgeton.

Members of the public are invited to register to testify on issues including work force, labor and economic development; state and local government; social services, as well as education, by calling at (609) 826-5107 or by e-mail: immigrantpolicypanel@advocate.state.nj.us

On - site registrations will be also received the day of the hearing. Written testimony can be e - mailed to the above electronic address or sent via Fax: (609) 984-4747 ; Mail: Department of the Public Advocate, Attn. Clarisa Romero-Cruz, P.O. Box 851, Trenton, NJ 08625-0851

Given the location of the public hearing, deep in the heart of southern New Jersey farm country, the Immigrant Policy Panel expects to hear public testimony about issues relating to migrant/farm workers – including work place rights, issues confronting day laborers working from muster zones , and English as a Second Language Training for workers.

Also, the panel will hear expert testimony from Keith Talbot, a senior attorney at NJ Legal Services for their Workers Legal Rights Project and Farmworker Rights Project, and from Louis Marino, Senior Manager-Director for the Center for Human Services (CHS) in New Jersey.

Keith Talbot has been representing farmworkers and low wage workers for over 20 years, and has been  counsel on federal, state  and appellate cases concerning farmworker and low wage worker  issues of wages, working conditions, labor camp housing, and unemployment benefits.

Louis Marino leads the Diabetes Disparities Project for Latinos, African American and migrant farmworkers in the State of New Jersey, and has also been the project director of the Section 304 Rehabilitation Vocational Program for disabled migrant and seasonal farmworkers for seven years.

CLICK HERE - Immigration: "Rationale Behind Sanctuary Cities"

CLICK HERE - NJLM Press Advisory

CLICK HERE - New Jersey State League of Municipalities

CLICK HERE - For More "Record" Coverage

CLICK HERE - For "Record" Coverage

CLICK HERE - For "Newsday" Coverage

CLICK HERE - Governor Corzine's Advisory Panel Members on Immigrant Policy

CLICK HERE - Governor Corzine's Press Release on Blue Ribbon Panel on Immigrant Policy

CLICK HERE - Executive Order No. 78

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Paid for by Friends of Michael J. Wildes For Mayor, Assemblyman Arnold Brown, Treasurer

250 Allison Court, Englewood, NJ 07631