New Jersey governor is open to paying illegal immigrants $600 a week despite state 'running out of money'...some poll! 96..4% latino

New Jersey governor is open to paying illegal immigrants $600 a week despite state 'running out of money'

Gov. Phil Murphy acknowledges that New Jersey is broke. 

New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy (Michael Brochstein/Echoes Wire/Barcroft Media)

 PAUL SACCA

New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said that he was open to the idea of the state providing illegal immigrants with $600 a week.

During Murphy's COVID-19 news briefing on Thursday, the governor was asked about cash assistance for illegal immigrants.

Immigrants rights group Make the Road NJ released a report titled, "Essential and Excluded," that documented the "experiences of low-wage immigrant workers and families in New Jersey during the first month of the COVID-19 crisis."

The 35-question survey was conducted over the phone April 12-18. The poll of 226 "respondents residing in New Jersey," included 96.4% who said their ethnicity was "Latinx." A little over half of the 226 participants in the survey, 52%, said their immigration status was "estimated undocumented."

The Make the Road NJ report was brought up during the New Jersey coronavirus press briefing. Murphy was asked if he would consider issuing $600 a week to illegal aliens "who have lost wages" during the coronavirus pandemic.

Murphy said that he did not see the Make the Road New Jersey report, but did say he is "open-minded to the $600-a-week" payment to illegal immigrants. Murphy also acknowledged that the state of New Jersey is "quite clearly running out of money."

"It's not just because I think we're good guys and gals, but because we're not going to break the back of this virus unless we bring us all along," Murphy said.

Judith Persichilli, commissioner of the New Jersey's Department of Health, urged illegal immigrants without access to health care to contact the state.

You can hear Murphy discuss the possibility of paying illegal immigrants around the 1:05-mark.

Earlier this month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that his state would be handing out millions of dollars to illegal aliens as a coronavirus relief package.

"California is the most diverse state in the nation. Our diversity makes us stronger and more resilient," Newsom said in a statement.

Illegal immigrants in California will receive a one-time payout of $500 per adult, with a household cap of $1,000.

Also this month, 50 House Democrats co-sponsored legislation that would allow illegal immigrants to receive funds from the coronavirus relief package.

"I was appalled to learn hardworking, taxpaying immigrants were left out of the $2 trillion CARES Act," said Rep. Lou Correa (D-Calif.).