Residents urge Perth Amboy City Council to pass Immigrant Trust Act resolution

Perth Amboy — Several residents used the council's public-comment period to urge the Perth Amboy City Council to pass a resolution supporting an Immigrant Trust Act, arguing the measure would protect immigrant residents and restore trust in local institutions.

Tiffany Broderick, who said she lives in neighboring South Amboy and works in restaurant management, told the council: "Please pass the immigrant trust act resolution." She said employees at her workplaces are "scared to death" about different immigration-status interactions and that the community suffers when people fear contacting authorities.

Vincent Macchio, a Perth Amboy resident, said the petition supporting the resolution reflects concerns about access to adequate services and due process for immigrants, and he carried a sign reading, "Immigrants need clean water. Support the Immigrant Trust Act." Ruben, another commenter, told the council he wanted the city to follow other New Jersey municipalities that have adopted similar resolutions and said the body should not be one of the last to act.

The comments came during the meeting's public-comment portion; the transcript does not show the council taking a formal vote on such a resolution during the recorded segments. Speakers said the resolution would send a signal to the state and the community that the city stands in solidarity with immigrant residents and could help reduce fear of local law enforcement.

No sponsoring member of the council or a formal motion to place the resolution on the council agenda is recorded in the transcript provided. The commenters referenced the growing number of New Jersey municipalities that have passed similar resolutions but did not cite specific ordinance numbers or state statutes during their remarks. The record shows the public urging immediate action; the council's response or any scheduling for future consideration is not captured in the available transcript.

Next steps: The transcript ends with repeated pleas from public commenters that the council "do the right thing" and pass the resolution; the council's formal action or scheduling on the item is not documented in these segments.