Thread: Freehold, NJ

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Immigration law addressed at Borough Council meeting
10/11/2006
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

FREEHOLD - It is common knowledge that many communities in New Jersey are dealing with an influx of illegal immigrants.

Freehold Borough is among the towns that are struggling with overcrowded housing, increasing and/or changing school demographics and strained social services due in part to a new wave of immigrants.

In a bid to cope with some of the impact brought on by an influx of illegal immigrants, elected officials in Riverside, Burlington County, recently adopted the Riverside Township Illegal Immigrant Relief Act.

The law prohibits people from hiring an illegal immigrant for a job or renting or leasing a living space to an illegal immigrant. It prohibits the establishment of a day laborer center that does not verify work status.

According to the ordinance, any for-profit entity that aids and abets illegal immigration will be denied approval for a business permit and township contracts for no less than five years. Any property owner who knowingly allows an illegal immigrant to use, rent or lease their property is subject to a fine of $1,000.

The Riverside law has borough resident Tom Baldwin concerned and worried. Baldwin is a member of Casa Freehold, an advocacy group for immigrants. He has been vocal and visible in his support of rights for the borough's immigrant population. He brought his concerns to the Oct. 2 meeting of the Borough Council.

Baldwin said he had read that officials in the borough and other municipalities had requested a copy of the Riverside ordinance. He wanted to know why Free-hold officials would want to see the River-side law and what they intended to do with that information.

No one on the council answered Bald-win's question immediately, but later in the meeting Mayor Michael Wilson did address his concern.

"As for the Riverside ordinance, we have our own problems here. Freehold Borough is dealing with our own problems. The federal government needs to wake up and begin to deal with the issue of illegal immigration," Wilson said. "We are being inundated with it just as many other towns are. It is not good, however, to comment on the actions of other towns. We do what we can do according to the law. Kudos to Riverside. They're trying."

In an interview with the News Tran-script, Colorado Congressman Tom Tan-credo, who has become a national figure in the illegal immigration issue, said he thought the Riverside ordinance was "great."

"State and local governments will be taking this issue into their own hands because the federal government is AWOL," Tancredo said. "This is like a political temperature gauge to show us how bad things are and how upset people really are with this situation. If politicians were smart they would look at this political temperature gauge and respond to it. Some will and some won't."

Repeat post.

I have to say I know Freehold and it is being invaded by illegals. It's great to see the Mayor of Freehold and town council looking eagerly to pass laws soon. Brick NJ is being invaded as well.

This article needs to be posted in the focus campaign forum for action by the team members, if it is posted elsewhere in this forum, please advise where. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Hi Ismith1338.

I posted it on Thursday. It is located on the Home page.

I am very happy they are motivated by Riverside and Hazelton.

I was told that a Focus campaign would be in the works for Freehold and Brick, but the candidate survey was on the front burner first.

Yes there is info on this elsewhere, I noticed that on another thread last evening and we will put the info into this thread. In the future that must be done first prior to posting the articles. Excuse my oversight, I am new at this position so please bear with me for a little bit and do feel free to let me know if I am not following the procedures as some of you have been working on this project for some time while I was working on other projects.

No probelm Ismith1338.

I have posted things before that have been posted. I think it happens to everyone. I just hope Freehold puts the immigration laws in place. He definately seems motivated!

Freehold has been invaded for years. The mexican gangs are getting worse by the day in Freehold and other NJ towns.