New Jersey marks March 9 as U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day with new bipartisan law
TRENTON, NJ — A silent but powerful statement will wave across New Jersey each March 9, as a newly signed bipartisan resolution directs the state to annually honor Americans wrongfully detained or taken hostage abroad — a measure inspired by the story of one New Jersey family’s long wait for answers.
Governor Phil Murphy on Tuesday signed AJR-231/SJR-171 into law, establishing U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day as an annual observance in New Jersey. The new law ensures the state’s official recognition of those held unjustly overseas and calls on state and local government buildings to fly the Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Flag each year on March 9.
The date carries national significance, marking the day retired FBI agent Robert A. Levinson was abducted in Iran in 2007. Levinson, who is widely believed to have died in captivity, remains the longest-held American hostage in history. His daughter, Sarah Levinson Moriarty — a resident of Chester Township in New Jersey’s 24th Legislative District — played a key role in advancing the resolution.
Senators Parker Space (R-Sussex, Morris, Warren) and Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex, Mercer) co-sponsored the legislation in the Senate, while Assemblyman Michael Inganamort introduced the Assembly version.
“Americans who are taken hostage or wrongfully detained overseas, and the families who endure unimaginable uncertainty at home, deserve to know they are not forgotten,” said Sen. Space. “With the Governor’s signature, New Jersey is standing in solidarity with those still held captive and reaffirming our commitment to seeing every American safely returned home.”
The resolution not only aligns New Jersey with federal recognition of March 9 as U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day, but also serves as a public reminder of the Americans still unaccounted for in foreign detention centers and prisons.
Sen. Greenstein said the new observance is a “sobering reminder” of families still waiting for their loved ones’ return and underscores the state’s ongoing commitment to keeping their stories alive.
While symbolic, the law represents a growing nationwide push to spotlight the plight of wrongful detainees and amplify pressure for diplomatic and legislative action. The resolution makes no direct policy changes but provides a formal framework for remembrance and awareness.
In addition to flying the Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Flag at the State Capitol, the measure encourages other government institutions to participate annually, further embedding the observance in New Jersey’s civic landscape.
The measure passed with bipartisan support, reflecting a rare point of consensus on foreign affairs in state-level politics.
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Key Points
- New Jersey will observe March 9 annually as U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day under a new bipartisan resolution signed by Gov. Murphy
- The date honors Robert Levinson, a New Jersey-linked former FBI agent abducted in Iran in 2007
- The law directs state and local governments to fly the Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Flag each year on March 9