JERSEY CITY -- A group of Democratic lawmakers from New Jersey and New York chose Liberty State Park today to call on the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey not to enforce Presidential Trump's controversial travel ban targeting immigrants and refugees.
The lawmakers, led by New York Sen. Michael Gianaris and New Jersey Sen. Loretta Weinberg, are behind legislation that would prohibit the bi-state Port Authority from using any of its facilities, which include the three airports in New York City and Newark, to enforce the Trump executive order.
Both Gianaris and Weinberg noted today that their relatives traveled through nearby Ellis Island as immigrants and were welcomed to this country decades ago.
"So many people who have contributed to the United States came from outside the United States," said Gianaris, from Queens.
Gianaris and Weinberg were joined by New Jersey Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham, of Jersey City; New Jersey Sen. Bob Gordon; New York Assemblywoman Nily Rozic; and New Jersey religious leaders.
Port Authority spokesman Ron Marsico said the agency has no role in detentions that occur because of the Trump order. Marisco also said Port Authority police cannot enter immigration areas without an invitation from federal customs officials.
The law would ban any Port Authority employee from providing "any aid, resources, assistance, or support to any federal employee or representative" in enforcing the travel ban.
The bills would have to be signed by the New York and New Jersey governors. The legislation was introduced in the New York Legislature Monday. New Jersey lawmakers expect to introduce it on Monday. The New Jersey Legislature is also expected next week to vote on a resolution condemning Trump's action.
The president's order, which was issued Friday and sparked weekend demonstrations at airports nationwide, bars for 120 days entry of any refugee seeking asylum in the United States, prohibits all Syrian refugees indefinitely and temporarily bans citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the nation on any visa category.
A Reuters poll from today finds that nearly half of Americans support the order.
The Democratic lawmakers who gathered in Jersey City today called the ban "unlawful," "unconstitutional," "awful" and a "travesty."
State Sen. Mike Doherty, a Republican from Warren County, supports Trump and the travel ban. Speaking by phone to The Jersey Journal, Doherty said the ban is no different than prior travel restrictions on immigrants and refugees. When he was president, Jimmy Carter invalidated all visas issued to Iranian citizens for entry into the United States during the Iran hostage crisis in 1980, Doherty noted as one example.
Trump's travel ban is "federal law and certainly federal law trumps local laws and regulations," Doherty said about the Democrats' plan. "So essentially they're advocating lawlessness here in the United States."
NJ Advance Media reporter Steve Strunsky contributed to this report.
Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
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