Steve Cortes, founder of the League of American Workers, said that crime is a significant concern for residents and advocated for stronger law-and-order policies while criticizing neighboring officials. This statement was made on X.
“70% of New Jersey citizens say crime is a personal challenge for them,” said Cortes. “Next door, Zohran Kwame Mamdani is a Marxist, “defund the police” extremist! Mikie Sherrill is his pal. But NJ needs LAW & ORDER!!!”
Public safety and crime trends have emerged as major issues in New Jersey’s political discourse. A June 2025 Rutgers-Eagleton Poll found that nearly half of the residents believe the state is on the wrong track, identifying crime as a notable concern, particularly among Republican voters. State officials reported an overall decline in crime in 2024, with the fewest shooting victims recorded since tracking began, highlighting a mix of public unease and improving statistics.
According to official data from the New Jersey State Police and other state agencies, the number of shooting victims in New Jersey dropped to 778 in 2024, representing a 16% reduction from 924 victims in 2023. Motor vehicle thefts also fell by 11%, from 16,694 in 2023 to 14,755 in 2024. These figures mark historic lows for the state’s gun-violence and auto-theft rates.
Comparing regional crime trends, the New York City Police Department reported that in 2024, major reported crimes in the Queens North command area reached approximately 16,782, higher than the 11,105 recorded in Queens South. Meanwhile, New Jersey’s overall crime rate placed it among the lowest in the United States (195.36 per 100,000) and ranked fourth-lowest for property crime nationwide. These contrasting figures illustrate New Jersey’s comparatively strong safety metrics even as nearby urban districts face rising violence.
Cortes is also known as a senior political advisor to CatholicVote and a former senior advisor to President Trump and JD Vance. He has been a commentator for Fox News and CNN and regularly releases documentaries and columns at cortesinvestigates.com.
The League of American Workers was founded by Cortes in 2022 as a U.S.-based advocacy organization dedicated to advancing “pro-worker patriotic populism” through media, research, and policy commentary on immigration, trade, domestic manufacturing, and public-safety issues. The organization’s leadership list names Cortes as founder and CEO. The group emphasizes influencing lawmakers, public opinion, and grassroots activism to support American workers.
