New Jersey taxpayers hit with another $12M bill for deportation defense fund – a total of $20.2 million

Just when New Jersey taxpayers thought their wallets couldn’t take another beating, Trenton found a new way to spend their money.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced this week that the Garden State will shovel another $12 million into its taxpayer-funded deportation defense program, bringing the total cost to a staggering $20.2 million.

“We are increasing funding for the Detention Deportation Defense Initiative by $12 million – for a total of $20.2 million,” Sherrill declared on social media.

The governor also unveiled a new “Rapid Legal Response Initiative,” a statewide effort designed to expand legal representation for migrants facing deportation proceedings.

Sherrill defended the spending by invoking constitutional protections and human rights. “Every person deserves to be treated with dignity,” the governor said. “These include access to due process and a fair hearing under the law, regardless of where you were born.”