Anti-Immigrant Ordinances: Riverside, N.J.

IN THE STATES Learn more about anti-immigrant ordinances throughout the country >> Demonstrators protest the anti-immigrant ordinance in Riverside, N.J. LEARN MORE > ACLU Applauds Repeal of Anti-Immigrant Ordinance in Riverside, NJ (9/17/2007) > Businesses Sue Riverside, NJ Over Vague, Discriminatory Anti-Immigrant Ordinance (10/18/2006) > Riverside Coalition of Business Persons and Landlords v. Township of Riverside - Complaint (PDF) (10/18/2006) > Riverside, N.J., Ordinance No. 2006-#16 (7/26/2006)

The “Riverside Township Illegal Immigration Relief Act,” attempts to ban undocumented immigrants from renting, residing, using property or being employed in the New Jersey town. The ordinance, in very vague, broad terms, applies to actions that “aid or abet” undocumented immigrants anywhere in the United States, and would impose $1,000 fines on landlords who rent to illegal immigrants and bans employers from hiring them.

A coalition of Riverside business owners, landlords, and residents, represented by the ACLU of New Jersey, ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, ACLU cooperating attorney James Katz of Spear Wilderman, Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, People For the American Way Foundation, and Rangonese, Albano & Viola, filed suit against the ordinance in New Jersey state court. The suit contends that the ordinance goes far beyond the authority of Riverside under state law, and would require landlords and business owners to take unreasonable and expensive measures and possibly invade the privacy of their clients in order to comply. While not currently being enforced, the ordinance has already had a profound impact on the town: one-third of Riverside’s immigrant population has moved away, causing some businesses to close, while others have seen sales decline by as much as 50 percent.

On August 23, 2007, the Riverside Township Committee approved the first reading of a bill that would rescind the ordinance, citing a number of factors including the Hazleton ordinance's defeat in federal court. On September 17, 2007, after the bill's second reading, Riverside's ordinance was nullified.