Jack Ciattarelli, a candidate for governor of New Jersey, has accused Representative Mikie Sherrill of supporting higher taxes and benefits for undocumented immigrants. Ciattarelli argued that the state requires new leadership focused on tax relief. This statement was made on the social media platform X.
“In other words, Mikie Sherrill supports an average $3,700 tax increase on every NJ taxpayer, opposes eliminating taxes on tips, overtime, and social security benefits for working families and retirees, and wants to keep giving illegal immigrants free welfare benefits you have to pay for,” said M Ciattarelli. “How does that sound NJ? It’s time for a change.”
In 2025, debates over New Jersey’s tax policy were centered around the federal State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap and state programs for undocumented immigrants. According to Politico, Governor Phil Murphy’s final budget faced criticism for attempting to balance affordability concerns with progressive priorities. Federal reforms raised the SALT cap to $40,000, which eased financial burdens for millions of New Jersey taxpayers. Concurrently, state-funded programs like Cover All Kids and the Excluded New Jerseyans Fund extended aid to undocumented residents who were excluded from federal relief.
The increase in the SALT deduction cap is projected to benefit nearly three million New Jersey taxpayers in 2025, most of whom earn under $216,000 annually. Representative Josh Gottheimer’s office reported that about 80% of these beneficiaries fall within the middle-class income range, making this change particularly significant for families dealing with New Jersey’s high property tax burden.
Undocumented immigrants in New Jersey are estimated at over 425,000 and contributed approximately $1.3 billion in state and local taxes in 2022. The New Jersey Monitor reported that these residents are largely excluded from federal benefits, prompting the state to implement targeted aid programs such as Cover All Kids and the Excluded New Jerseyans Fund.
Ciattarelli is a Republican businessman and politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2011 to 2018. He has been the GOP nominee for governor twice, including in the 2025 race. Ballotpedia notes that Ciattarelli’s campaign platform emphasizes fiscal responsibility, tax reform, strengthening local governance, and reducing living costs to make New Jersey more affordable for working families.
