ACLU-NJ Applauds Proposed Increase in Funding for Detention and Deportation Defense Initiative

In response to the announcement of $20.2 million to fund the Detention and Deportation Defense Initiative (DDDI), Amol Sinha, Executive Director of the ACLU of New Jersey, issued the following statement:

“Due process is a fundamental right and a core tenet of our democracy, but one that is routinely denied to people ensnared in the immigration system, especially under President Trump’s cruel mass detention and deportation agenda. For years, the ACLU-NJ has called on state leaders to prioritize the Detention and Deportation Defense Initiative to ensure every person facing immigration proceedings could have access to legal representation. The $20.2 million allocation announced today represents the biggest increase in DDDI funding from one fiscal year to the next. This is a culmination of the collective calls for action from so many across the state, and it will help countless people – including those detained at Delaney Hall – return to their families and communities. Thank you to Gov. Sherrill, Senate President Scutari, and Assembly Speaker Coughlin for committing to this allocation in the FY27 budget.”