Mexican Consulate in New Brunswick Forms Partnership with State to Protect Workers’ Rights

NEW BRUNSWICK – The Consulate of Mexico in New Brunswick has signed a memorandum of understanding with the state to provide access to information, guidance, training and educational resources designed to promote the labor rights of Mexican workers in New Jersey.

The agreement was reached through Choose New Jersey, the state’s nonprofit business attraction organization, as part of its Gov. Phil Murphy-led mission to Mexico.

Under this agreement, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the Mexican Consulate will develop training and educational programs, conduct community outreach and establish a joint dialogue on labor rights, including workplace safety and the prevention of work-related incidents.

“Every person in New Jersey deserves to feel safe at their workplace,” Murphy said Thursday. “Today, New Jersey upholds its reputation as a leader in labor protections, with a reaffirmed commitment to ensuring all workers feel confident exercising their rights in the workplace. This MOU sends the message that all workers in our state are protected by the law to its fullest extent, regardless of origin.”

The agreement comes as workers have been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in a series of high-profile raids in the area, the most recent of which occurred Oct. 29 at a large clothing warehouse distribution center in the Avenel section of Woodbridge. TAPinto Woodbridge/Carteret reported that 46 detainees were awaiting federal immigration hearings at Newark’s Delaney Hall federal detention center or a similar Elizabeth facility.

Since the Mexican Consulate opened in New Brunswick in 2023, it has made a home on the first two floors of the old Chase Bank at 390 George St., providing essential services for Mexican citizens living in New Jersey, including documentation acquisition (passports, consular IDs, voter ID cards, dual citizenship and visas); consultation on work-related discrimination, harassment and/or retaliation; and connection to education, health and social services

The consulate holds jurisdiction in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties.

“Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its embassy and consular network in the U.S., seeks to ensure that our communities know that they can report labor violations without fear of retaliation,” said Mariana Diaz, Head Consul of the Consulate of Mexico in New Brunswick. “The Mexican Consulate is thrilled to work with the Department of Labor through this partnership, as it will bring much-needed assistance to workers, guidance and the tools needed to navigate New Jersey’s labor laws and exercise their rights, thus strengthening the well-being and safety of all workers in the State.”

In 2024, New Jersey-Mexico trade reached $10.6 billion, with key industries such as manufacturing, transportation and agriculture driving economic growth. New Jersey is home to approximately 217,000 residents of Mexican origin, with strong ties to Middlesex County, which is the location of the state’s first Mexican consulate.

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