Raven: tonight, seeking asylum.

A New Jersey Congressman gets a firsthand look at the migrant crisis unfolding across the river.

Reporter: they are trying to make it work, given the difficulties we have, both at a local, state and federal level.

Raven: and a Governor Murphy exclusive.

He talks asylum-seekers in New Jersey, LGTQ notifications, and the deplorable care of some of the state's veterans.

>> the buck stops with me.

Raven: shut it down.

Protests calling for the Biden to close an ICE detention facility.

>> some people do not know that it is happening a few miles from here.

It is hidden and that is on purpose.

Raven: and the mayor of Newark shares his vision for the city and possible run to become a governor.

>> I am happy to be the mayor.

It does not mean I am not thinking about it or it is not possible.

Raven: "NJ Spotlight News" begins right now.

Announcer: Funding for "NJ Spotlight News" funded by the -- NJM insurance group, serving the insurance needs of residents and businesses for more than 100 years.

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And by the PSEG foundation.

♪ >> this is "NJ Spotlight News" with Raven Santana.

Raven: today, a congressional delegation led by Alexandra Casio Cortez and including Rob Moran does toured the Roosevelt Hotel that has been housing migrants arriving in New York.

Last summer, and what was largely seen as a political stunt, Republican governor Greg Abbott of Texas began busting migrants to New York City.

Many are seeking asylum.

Housing in the migrants is costing the city billions.

And there is talk now of relocating some of them to Atlantic City.

It is a divisive issue, and as our correspondent reports, the delegation at the hotel was met with angry protesters.

Reporter: it delegation emerged from the shelter at the Roosevelt Hotel to address reporters.

Representatives from several states invited to see for themselves how New York is coping with the crisis.

But politicians ran into protesters, whose angry shouts drowned out the conversation.

[shouting] >> the American dream will not be bullied into submission.

Reporter: a New York congresswoman tried to speak over the protesters about what they saw inside, as the migrant families walked past.

>> we saw children, families, people that want to work, people who are fleeing violence, and people who are fleeing environmental disasters.

We see so many stories, heartbreaking stories.

>> there are concessions across geography and estates on increased resources to help those municipalities dealing with the issue.

Reporter: representative Cortez says the family -- federal government should give faster access to families so they can support themselves.

She also wants Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans who have sought asylum.

The unsolved dilemma, where to place tens of thousands who have been bussed here?

Robert Menendez toured the hotel.

>> there are about 25% of people processed here who are making their way outside of the city.

It is a complicated process, given the dynamic of the process here of our broken immigration system, and they are trying to make it work as best we can, given the difficulties we have at a local, state and federal level.

Reporter: Mayor Eric Adams says the city has already spent $2 billion housing migrants and could spend another $5 billion this year.

>> this issue will destroy a New York City.

>> get out of here.

Reporter: as the shouts got louder, the delegation quickly dispersed.

Protesters warned of consequences if migrants continue to come in.

>> this is an invasion of America.

You all have an agenda.

>> there will be a line from here to South America.

It will never end.

Reporter: transporting migrants to federal properties in New Jersey, like Atlantic City International Airport, sparked a firestorm of local protests.

Governor Murphy has said the scale of the issue is "beyond us."

When migrant spoke to reporters outside the hotel.

>> you do not want to stay here?

You want to get a job?

>> a work authorization is what you will hear about a lot.

Congress needs to act.

And at the end of the day, there is an immense amount of passing the buck.

>> the news conference broke up with no resolutions, no political answers, just a lot of shouting.

In Manhattan, Brenda Flanagan.

Raven: as she reported, Governor Murphy may soon need to find housing for some of these asylum-seekers here in New Jersey.

That was one of the topics Dave put to the governor in a one on one interview for Chat Box this week.

The governor taking responsibility for their recent report showing negligent care at two veterans homes in the state.

>> you called it disturbing and appalling, but the conditions persist.

>> deeply disturbing.

I said part of the report is as dire as the reality was in the spring of 2020.

In many respects, the part of the report that concerns me the most is the ongoing issues.

We have been cooperating with the Justice Department.

And we will continue to.

I want to give a shout out to where legislative leadership, because they have been good on this in thinking through solutions.

All options are on the table.

If we are not taking care of our veterans, who are we taking care of?

And I do not want people to think we have been sitting on our hands.

The bulk of the report is focusing on 2020-2021.

We have done a lot since then.

We have been converting from doubles to singles, the establishment of a patient advocate, and lots of training for anybody on infectious controls.

Lots of steps, but unequivocally it's not enough.

We have to do better.

>> people want to hear you take responsibility for it.

>> the buck stops with me.

I am not passing the ball to anybody at any time.

>> particularly the charges that some of the staff at these facilities were noncooperative with investigators.

That signals a culture problem, doesn't it?

>> I do not know how many times I can say it is unacceptable.

Again, if you look at it today, I would say it is a different reality than it was three years ago.

The Center for Medicaid and Medicare have given one of the two homes a five-star rating this year.

The other one has a five-star rating each month this year.

So, they have clearly made progress.

But it is also clear they have to make a lot more progress.

>> whose job is it to fix this?

Obviously it is part of your administration, but lawmakers now say that they want to have hearings.

Is there any benefit to that?

Do they have to wait until November to do that?

>> they have to wait until they are in session.

I cannot speak for the legislative calendar, but as I said they have been good, forceful, they have spoken their mind, as they should, and we will have to work with them.

>> let's talk about the Biden administration floating the idea of relocating migrants who are taking up a lot of resources in New York and perhaps moving them to the airport in Atlantic County.

You are against it.

I know the state has a progressive record on immigration.

And migrants from Afghanistan to Ukraine, and I preempt this and say that only because I know that you have -- you have a great clock eating answer to this question.

>> it happens to be true.

>> I hear you.

But I want to ask you specific questions, too.

What are the conditions under which New Jersey would accept migrants from New York?

Or are you just philosophically against it?

>> I will skip all of the stuff about our record on immigration, which is the best in the country.

The Afghan situation, the Covid crisis in the spring of 2020, in each case we work incredibly closely with the federal government.

And in each case, we had the resources, the cooperation, the plan in place that allowed us to execute.

Take the Afghan example.

We took in more Afghan refugees than any state in America.

We did it through the joint base and we did it with the military.

The plan made sense.

We were partners in that process.

And it was virtually flawless.

There is no scenario that I see, sadly, that is similar in this case.

If I am right, and I believe I am, it is beyond us.

So, I do not want to lead folks into thinking that we have some secret sauce we can figure out.

>> you are suing a couple districts to stop them from disclosing information to parents about their child's gender identity at school.

I know a lot of parents, both parties, who say that they would want to know something like that about their child.

Wouldn't you?

>> I obviously do not agree with that.

The law is clear.

Let me step back and say what I believe.

I believe, and we have proven this, that parents are and always will be at the table.

This notion we are blocking parents from having their voice heard is ridiculous and it is not supported by the facts.

I have to balance that on the one hand.

And the Attorney General has to, as well.

With protecting the most vulnerable of our precious kids.

It is not -- the law is clear -- it is not the job of a teacher or staff member to "out" a kid that is going through some gender identity process.

Raven: you can watch the full interview with Governor Murphy on Chat Box on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. And on Reporters Roundtable this week, David looks at the lingering impact of the bridgegate scandal 10 years ago.

David talks to former the assemblyman and cochair of the Investigative Committee about whether the event is haunting Chris Christie in his bid for the GOP nomination.

Plus, the other political headlines of the week.

Watch on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. and Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. right here on NJ PBS.

Immigration advocates gathered in Newark as part of a national day of action, calling for the Biden administration to shut down all detention centers and release people who remain in them.

It comes after a federal judge ruled to keep the detention center in New Jersey open in Elizabeth, siding with the center's public operator, core civic.

Ted Kolbert was there as advocates rallied for the closure.

>> close the place down.

I would like to believe we can change hearts and minds by doing this, but I just keep showing up because it is the right thing to do.

Reporter: immigration advocates hope their music and Margene -- marching can persuade people to protest the Elizabeth detention center.

New Jersey's only private detention center working with ICE is still open, thanks to a recent ruling from a federal judge.

>> I have been protesting the detention center, Elizabeth, for the last 13 years, when I first visited two people detained there.

>> It was a completely unforgettable experience for me.

To think about hi I -- how I might never see my daughters again, my Emily again, and -- my family again and that if I , returned to my home country and would be killed.

>> after a March, this man spoke about the months he spent at the EDC and how it traumatized him.

>> there was lack of medication.

Lack of food.

I would report my medical needs to the senior supervisor and they would go unanswered.

My body was marked for life when I was there, due to the unsanitary conditions.

Reporter: he is far from alone.

Others who spent time at Elizabeth have long complained about abuse and poor treatment.

>> unless you have been detained, you cannot understand.

You cannot easily communicate with your families and you cannot easily get out of there.

Reporter: these kinds of stories have repeatedly brought protesters to Newark and at the facility itself, hoping to convince leaders to close it.

>> shut it down now!

[APPLAUSE] shut down all of these detention centers.

And stop the separation of families.

And treat people like they are human beings.

>> a lot of people do not know that there is immigration detention, and that it is happening just a few miles from here.

It is hidden.

That is on purpose.

Reporter: protesters who came to the federal building pleaded their case to the Biden administration.

They say that Biden has broken campaign promises by siding with the EDC owner and the lawsuit against New Jersey.

>> we saw the Biden administration take the side of a private prison corporation in a similar lawsuit in California, so we know that biden says he is for immigrant rights, and just like here we are seeing in actuality, he is not willing to come out for the side of justice.

>> the Biden administration is also asking for another $1 billion for the EDC.

That is money that should be going into our communities.

Reporter: the EDC was set to close on August 31.

The Murphy administration is appealing the decision to keep it open.

In Newark, Ted Goldberg.

Raven: women are underrepresented at every level of government in New Jersey, and White men are the only demographic that is overrepresented.

That is the finding of a report out from the Center for American women in politics at Rutgers University.

It finds while women makeup 51% of the state's population, they hold very few Tsitsipas congressional offices.

And some minority groups appear to be significantly underrepresented, finding Asian Americans Pacific Islanders and , Latinos have the greatest disparity between their share of the population and elected offices.

But researchers say the findings are limited.

Participation was voluntary.

Fewer than 20% of officeholders responded, and most did not include their race or ethnicity.

The report is the result of a law passed in 2022, but researchers say the legislature should make the surveys mandatory.

In our spotlight on business report, a businessman joined elected officials today to criticize the continued delays for the planned expansion of the Hudson Bergen light Rail, which still only runs through Hudson County.

Bergen County residents have been waiting for service to be extended since the light rail line was first designed three decades ago.

The project hit another roadblock last month after the federal Department of Transportation said the project needed more farm impact studies.

Despite New Jersey transit having submitted a full review in 2018.

Gottheimer said the demand was hypocritical after the agency allowed New York's pricing plan to move forward without such stringent studies.

He and other garden state Congress members sent a letter to the DOT, demanding that they reconsider the decision.

>> We deserve to know what is wrong with them and why they decided to wake up one day and demand something that makes zero sense to anybody who has looked at this.

They DOT can at least explain for all of us on this side of the river the double standard.

Raven: the union representing automakers walked off the job overnight in a historic strike that could reshape the future of America's auto industry.

It is the first time United Auto Workers have strength against -- striped -- striked against all three companies Ford, , General Motors, and Stellantis the parent company of Chrysler, , at once.

The union is seeking a 40% pay increase over four years, a proposal they say matches raises at the county executives have gone.

The union also wants better benefits, including the reinstatement of pensions.

Executives at the three companies have said they cannot afford the union's demands, in part because of expensive electric vehicle production, even though gross profits at GM have risen by 50%, and at Ford by 34% since the last labor contract was signed in 2019.

So far, the strike is limited to just three factories, but union leaders have said the strike could expand if negotiations do not progress.

And here is how the markets closed for the week.

♪ >> Support for the business report provided by the chamber of commerce southern New Jersey working for economic prosperity , by uniting community leaders and business for 150 years.

Membership and event information online at chamberSMJ.com.

Raven: make sure you tune into the season premiere of the show where I highlight the economic vision for new art, talking one-on-one with Mayor Ras Baraka about the southern end of Broad Street, affordable housing, and how the city's largest corporations are pitching in.

I asked the mayor which businesses he wants to attract the downtown area and whether he plans to run for governor.

>> I would love to see some family entertainment downtown.

Raven: like what?

>> places where kids usually go to do the birthday parties, trampoline jumping, arcades for young people where families can celebrate for their parties.

Raven: is this the last we will hear of you?

Or are you running for governor?

>> [LAUGHTER] Well, I mean I guess that is the talk of the entire state at this point.

Right now I am the mayor of Newark, and I am happy with being the mayor of Newark.

It does not mean I am not thinking about it or it is not on my mind.

Or it is not possible.

That is for sure.

I am not this overly ambitious guy who is saying I have to be the governor or else I will explode.

I'm doing a job that I am completely content with doing.

Raven: you can watch the full interview with the mayor this weekend at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at 9:30 a.m., right here on NJ PBS.

♪ The next episode in our 21 digital film series is now online.

This series examines the simple question of, does where you live in the state affect how you live.

21 profiles one person in each of our 21 counties and looks at the social determinants that affect that person's life.

The latest film introduces us to Salmera, who understands challenges faced by Spanish-speaking residents in New Brunswick.

An immigrant herself, she now educates and empowers residents with resources to understand tenets' rights.

The hope she imparts through the as Speranza -- Esperanza project epitomizes of the power of community driven change.

We spoke with.

Take a look.

Reporter: thank you so much for giving us your time.

You have become the voice of tenant activism in your community.

I find it really touching that you decided to go into this work, because you yourself needed help when you came here from Peru, not speaking English and not knowing your rights as a tenant, but also as a community member, right?

>> that is correct.

That information is correct because when I came to this country, like all immigrants come here, we have to learn as soon as we can everything in this country.

Yes, I had a bad experience as a tenant.

My apartment was in bad condition.

But even then, I did not know I had rights.

Most of the time when I talked to the landlord, they treated me with eviction.

But I found this group and a person that is passionate with the community.

I learned with this project.

Finally, I executed my rights, and now I am exchanging that information with families, who are having the same experience.

Reporter: do you feel like you are giving hope to members of your community?

>> yes, Esperanza means hope in English.

This simple word means a lot, because the families are experiencing desperation, mental issues.

It is not only with the other person, but with kids.

Reporter: what do you want to do next?

>> if God allows me, I would like to stay working.

If one family can learn something from the tenants rights, I know they can share it to other families or coworkers.

And then that voice can pass around all the people, and I guarantee in the future that this community knows what they have to do if something happens with a legal -- illegal evictions, for example.

Reporter: you are raising your son and family in New Brunswick, buying a house.

However, you could have chosen to leave, but you are so dedicated to your community.

So thank you for taking part in our 21 series.

>> thank you so much for giving me the chance and opportunity to share my experience, what I learned in all of the years living in this blessed country.

I would like to see more people doing outreach to all the families with this experience as tenants, especially in this crisis of houses we are living in in those years.

Reporter: very well said.

Thank you very much.

Raven: you can meet Aalmera and the other extraordinary residents on our website.

Do not forget to download the Spotlight news podcast so you can listen anytime.

I am Raven Santana.

For the entire team, thank you for being with us and have a great weekend.

We will see you right back here on Monday.

♪ >> the members of the New Jersey Education Association, making public schools great for every child.

RWJBarnabas Health, let's be healthy together.

And Orsted, committed to the creation of a new long-term, sustainable, clean energy future for New Jersey.

♪ >> our future relies on more than clean energy.

Our future relies on empowered communities, the health and safety of our friends and neighbors.

Of our schools and streets.

The foundation is committed to sustainability, equity and economic empowerment.

Investing in parks, helping towns go green.

Supporting scholarships and workforce development that strengthen our community.