BRICK, N.J. – Assemblyman Paul Kanitra announced that his office plans to release a new report in two weeks that he says details the cost of undocumented immigration in New Jersey, including a claim that approximately 100,000 undocumented immigrants have obtained state driver’s licenses.
Kanitra said the findings are the result of months of research, multiple public records requests, and what he described as efforts to overcome government bureaucracy. He did not release the underlying records or methodology alongside his announcement, and the full report has not yet been made public.
Public records research cited
“Our office has uncovered a staggering 100,000 illegal aliens who have obtained drivers licenses and now fill our state’s congested roadways every day,” Kanitra wrote in a post on X. He added that the upcoming publication “lays out exactly how we broke this dangerous situation wide open.”
The assemblyman said the driver’s license figure represents only part of the report’s findings, calling it “just the tip of the iceberg.”
In New Jersey, applicants are also registered to vote when they apply for a driver’s license.
Report to examine broader costs
According to Kanitra, the report will also argue that undocumented immigrants are contributing to higher housing costs, increased emergency room expenses, and additional state spending related to responses to federal immigration enforcement.
“You work hard. You follow the rules. You pay your taxes. So why is so much of YOUR money going to people who broke the law getting here?” Kanitra wrote. He also accused Democrats in Trenton of continuing to spend taxpayer money to counter the effects of federal deportation efforts.
What happens next
Kanitra said the complete “Report on the Cost of Illegal Aliens to New Jersey” will be released in approximately two weeks. Until the report and supporting documentation are published, the claims outlined in his announcement cannot be independently evaluated.
New Jersey has permitted residents who cannot demonstrate lawful immigration status to obtain standard driver’s licenses since 2021 if they meet state identification requirements established under state law.
Why it matters
Immigration policy and the fiscal impact of providing state services to undocumented immigrants remain major political issues in New Jersey. Kanitra’s forthcoming report is expected to add to that debate, though its conclusions and methodology will likely face scrutiny once released.
