Health Care Coverage and Resources

• COVID-19 Testing and Treatment: No one in New Jersey should hesitate to get tested, regardless of immigration status or insurance coverage. Testing for COVID-19-related services will not be at any charge, regardless of immigration status or whether you have health insurance. COVID-19 testing and treatment and receipt of Medicaid or NJ FamilyCare benefits are not considered a Public Charge for immigration matters. For more information on care for those without health insurance, see here.
• COVID-19 Vaccine Information: Everyone 6 months or older is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine in New Jersey and encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Documentation is not required to be vaccinated. Vaccination sites will NOT ask for proof of immigration status. Learn more here.
• General COVID-19 Information: Resources from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about coronavirus are available in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and other languages here. The CDC's Spanish-language resource hub is available here.
• Mental Health: A Spanish-language video from The Hope Center for Wellness provides strategies that families facing stress and anxiety during this pandemic can implement.

Special Relief Programs and Helpful Resources

• College Financial Aid: The New Jersey Alternative Financial Aid Application allows NJ Dreamers enrolled in eligible New Jersey colleges and universities to apply for state financial aid: https://www.hesaa.org/Pages/NJAlternativeApplication.aspx (in English)
• Worker Benefits and Protections: The Department of Labor has created a chart called "What NJ Workers Should Know": English and in Spanish.
• Help for Companies and Non-Profits: The Economic Development Authority has created an eligibility wizard (English and in Spanish) to help organizations understand what support programs are available.

Immigration Policy and Enforcement

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released a statement (in English), noting that "ICE will not carry out enforcement operations at or near health care facilities, such as hospitals, doctors' offices, accredited health clinics, and emergent or urgent care facilities, except in the most extraordinary of circumstances. Individuals should not avoid seeking medical care because they fear civil immigration enforcement." Immigration officials have confirmed (English and Spanish) that testing, treatment, and preventative care related to COVID-19 will not negatively affect an individual's public charge analysis.

In addition, New Jersey contact tracers are not working with ICE. Information shared with contact tracers remains confidential, will not negatively affect your public charge assessment, and will not be used for the purposes of law enforcement or immigration enforcement in any way.

Expanding Access to Professional and Occupational Licenses

A law signed by Governor Murphy prohibits lawful presence in the United States as a qualification to obtain a professional or occupational license, provided that the applicant meets all other requirements for licensure. The bill impacts the roughly 500,000 undocumented residents in New Jersey, who will now be eligible for professional licenses such as nursing, counseling and cosmetology.