>> Announcer: Major funding for NJ Spotlight News is provided in part by NJM Insurance Group, serving the insurance needs of residents and businesses for more than 100 years.

And by the PSEG Foundation.

♪ BRIANA: Tonight on "NJ Spotlight News," residents pack a tense meeting in Union County with fear is that commissioners will allow a new immigrant detention facility to open in their neighborhood.

Plus, is struggling system -- New Jerseyans are facing long wait times, website crashes, and unanswered questions as the Social Security Agency grapples with steep cuts.

>> We have had a whole bunch of confusion, misinformation, which is causing chaos in all of our field offices.

BRIANA: also, fighting deportation.

Columbia University student and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil begins his legal battle.

In a New Jersey courtroom.

And as March Madness continues, activists against sex trafficking say major sports event can have a dark side.

>> The Billboard campaign is really seeking to shine a light on an aspect of the sex trade that is usually very invisible.

BRIANA: "NJ Spotlight News" begins right now.

♪ Announcer: From NJ PBS studios, this is "NJ Spotlight News" with Briana Vannozzi.

BRIANA: Good evening, and thanks for joining us on this Friday night.

I'm Briana Vannozzi.

We begin with a few of today's top headlines.

First, New Jersey is losing roughly $350 million in federal funding for its local and statewide health programs.

The Trump Administration says it is part of a larger pot of money being caught back that is linked to the COVID pandemic.

The governor's office says it was sent to states to help track infectious disease, fight opiate addiction, and provide mental health counseling.

Governor Murphy today referenced the void it'll leave during a roundtable meeting set up to talk about the impact of federal cuts to Medicaid, and the concern that some 700,000 New Jerseyans stand to lose their health coverage if the federal program is slashed at levels proposed, while services and resources could be diminished for the nearly two million children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities who rely on Medicaid.

The event with Murphy, the state commissioners of Health, Human Services, and Children and Families, was hosted in Congressman Tom Kean Jr.'s district, who had a scheduling conflict and couldn't attend.

Governor Murphy called on all three of the state's federal GOP members to vote against the measure arousal as to the members of the public to share personal testimony about the impact it would have on them.

>> there are just so many programs that may myself use for Medicaid, and and I don't really know what would happen if those programs are cut.

I don't live in a money per month.

But with these programs, I'm able to survive.

Without them, I don't -- I know that I wouldn't be able to.

Because just one medication alone is close to the amount of income that I get per month.

Briana: Briana: Also tonight, there are growing concerns that another immigration detention center will open in New Jersey, after Union County commissioners Thursday night voted to take a step towards selling the county jail that has been shattered for the last four years.

Residents and immigrant rights groups jammed into the meeting, which grew tense at times, sharing their fears that the building would be sold to a private company, and turned into another 1,000-bed I.C.E.

detention center.

Advocates urged commissioners to pledge that wouldn't happen as the Trump administration looks to ramp up deportations and needs more places to house migrants.

County officials gave lengthy explanations for their votes, which landed at 6-3, and explained that this allows him to accept requests for proposals so they know how much the property is worth.

With hope, they'll will get bids from buyers who want to use a facility for things like college classes or mental health offices, promising that they will create clear parameters for the old jail's use.

Though it is unclear exactly what those are.

And Bayonne Medical Center has , been saved.

Hudson Regional Hospital is officially the new owner and operator of the cash-strapped facility.

That is after the New Jersey Department of Health this week gave the green light for Hudson regional's certificate of need application.

The announcement isn't surprising, but it does end years of back and forth over the matter.

Hudson Regional has owned the Bayonne Medical Center property since 2020 and took a number of steps to also become its operator.

Officials say they plan to rebrand it as a new network that will include other former care point facilities.

It said several upgrades are already in the works, like remodeling the emergency department, reopening labs to resume tests and services for cardiac patients, and any radiology department among other things.

Local county and state leaders immediately.

The move, saying it will allow Bayonne Medical to stay as a full-service hospital.

Social Security recipients are on edge, following staffing cuts at the federal Social Security Administration that New Jerseyans say have led to long call retailers, website crashes, and unanswered questions.

1.6 million people in the state receive the benefits, the majority are retirees.

Some of whom tell Senior political correspondent Brenda Flanagan that the changes are causing confusion.

Reporter: customers filed into the Social Security Administration office complex.

They brought paperwork and questions, after seeing news and changes planned by the Trump Administration.

Yolanda is confused.

You are try to get information?

>> yes.

Reporter: How do you feel about that?

>> worried.

Very worried.

We don't know what is going to happen with us.

>> They are x-rayed.

They think their benefits will be taken away so that means we will have more walk-in traffic.

We have had more phone calls into the field office.

Reporter: Angela is a Social Security claims specialist with the local government workers Union here, she says folks feel threatened by changes in, especially after seeing Elon Musk's Department Of Government Efficiency on X climbing back major cleanups and deleting millions of Social Security numbers reportedly of deceased recipients.

Green card holders will receive benefits fear deportation.

People will no longer be able to verify their identity over the phone under pending rule changes.

The AARP is raising red flags.

>> Getting rid of phone service and requiring people to come in in person is going to create a lot of problems, and we don't know if those offices are going to be able to handle that foot traffic.

>> This is going to be a problem.

We don't have enough bodies.

This work cannot be taken over by AI completely.

Reporter: Musk has insisted Department Of Government Efficiency will improve services.

>> as a result of the work of DOGE, legitimate recipients of Social Security will receive more money, not less money.

Reporter: the Trump Administration did delay changes at the Social Security Administration until mid-April.

But workers here say they're deeply concerned about how staff cuts will impact services.

DOGE announce to the agency faces a 12% star production, some 7000 people.

About 2600 have already taken by>> Arts.

All the cards probably will not get answered because we are getting more and more and more.

Our staff has not improved.

We have had a whole bunch of confusion and misinformation which is causing chaos into all our field offices.

Reporter: the Social Security website reportedly crashed four times over the past couple of weeks.

Democrats sharply questioned the Somerset County millionaire nominated to head Social Security.

>> are you willing to commit right now, that you will put enough people back to work so they can do the job of delivering the benefits that Americans earned?

Yes or no.

>> I will commit to have the right staffing to get the job done.

>> To get the job done, meaning delivering the benefits people are entitled to?

>> Yes.

Reporter: the AARP reports some 1.6 million people in New jersey, one in five residents, it gets Social Security benefits averaging $20,000 a year.

For about 40% of them, it's their only income.

Most are retired.

They've packed local town hall hearings.

>> we will continue to fight and advocate for people and encourage them to reach out to their member of Congress with their concerns.

This program is vitally important to their lives.

Reporter: and on Election Day, older voters reliably turn out.

I'm Brenda Flanagan, NJ Spotlight News.

Briana: It is now up to a federal judge in Newark if a Columbia student's deportation case will be heard in New Jersey or in Louisiana.

Attorneys for pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil argued today in court that the case should remain here and said the federal government's push to have the case heard in Louisiana, where he's currently detained, is an effort to chill free speech.

Khalil is from Syria and is a legal permanent resident.

He hasn't been charged with a crime, but the federal government is attempting to remove him under a rarely used law that allows for non-citizens to be deported if their presence threatens U.S. foreign policy interests, allegations his legal team denies.

Raven Santana reports from outside the courthouse in Newark where supporters today called for Khalil's release.

>> release Mahmoud right now!

Reporter: more than 200 people gathered at the steps of the U.S. District Court in Newark, where they demanded the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student who was detained on March 8th due to his involvement in campus protests supporting Palestinian rights.

Khalil, who is a legal permanent resident and green card holder, was detained as part of President Trump's crackdown on so-called "anti-American" protests and campuses.

Today his lawyers told ahis casw Jersey and not in Louisiana where there he is currently being held.

They spoke to the press after the hearing, sharing that the judge will issue a decision on jurisdiction shortly, and will not hear bail arguments until the case's location is addressed.

>> We were here to insist that the court take jurisdiction of this case, bring him back to New Jersey, and then immediately thereafter rule on his request for release, request for bail, and rule on his broader petition that his detention is unconstitutional because, as we said in court there he is not a new routine immigration case or Habeas transfer case.

This is a case where the United States government has created a policy targeting Palestinian activists and specifically, Mahmoud Khalil for arrest, detention and potential removal.

>> it is anti-democratic, un-American, illegal, and unconstitutional to suppress speech, censor somebody, detain them, and attempt to deport them and revoke their green card for speaking their mind.

>> The reason they are fighting so hard on jurisdiction, as extraordinary as that is, is because they want to buy time.

They want to buy time in the hope that all of you will go away, buy time in the hope that all these people will go away, and so that they can get away with what they're trying to do to Mr. Khalil and to others.

Reporter: Advocates I spoke with say they are concerned about eighth agent will continue to target more students on campuses.

>> Is a place people should feel safe.

That's the irony of it all.

I think there is a real element of needing to decode and deconstruct the fear that the administration is wanting to place over places like in higher education.

We need to first grapple with the fact that that is one of the modes of -- one of the fronts of this battle, of creating that fear.

And once we understand that, people will have to know their rights, that they are doing nothing wrong by speaking out, then students, allies can feel more protected in their speech and in their organizing.

I definitely do think that this is a mind game in some ways, between the administration and higher education.

>> It's our non-negotiable demand, is for the release of Mahmoud Khalil, and all the students who have been particularly targeted and detained in the last few weeks.

Reporter: The Trump Administration has arrested others who are here in the U.S. legally, involved with student protests, including another student from Columbia and a PhD student at Tufts.

Khalil is due back in court before an immigration judge on April 8.

For NJ Spotlight News, I'm Raven Santana.

Briana: The city of Newark is gearing up to hold another marquee game for the Eastern regionals in the NCAA tournament.

And while March Madness regular entertainment and business for local shops, activists say there is also a dark underbelly to a big sporting a verse, like an increase in demand for sex trafficking.

A nonprofit launched a nationwide campaign in all the seven cities hosting the games, including at Prudential Center, hoping to raise awareness about the issue and discourage people from fueling the illegal practice.

For more, I'm joined by the Executive Director of rights for girls.

, worst of all, thank you for coming on the show.

I think a lot of people will find this interesting, because there is the glitz and glamour of being the host city of such a major sporting event, but your organization is shining a light on something folks are unaware of or, quite frankly, of don't want to talk about.

What is the billboard campaign aiming to do?

Guest: the billboard campaign is really seeking to shine a light on an aspect of the sex trade that is usually very invisible, the sex buyer.

When we talk about issues of sex trafficking, we are to think about the sex trafficker and the victim, but we don't often talk about the role of the sex buyer.

And the reality is that every dollar generated in the industry is fueled by the sex buyer.

But for the demand created by the sex buyer, there would be no incentive for traffickers to lure, coerce and manipulate people into the sacs trade.

BRIANA: why is it that sporting events seem to be a hub for this.

Guest: any time there are events that attracted thousands of out-of-town splinters and individuals to a big city, traffickers will seek to capitalize off the potential for increased demand for commercial sex.

So we see that in the days and weeks leading to large-scale events that attract thousands of leading up to the events that -- online sex ads will skyrocket for advertising individuals for sex.

We know from our work with sex trade survivors, and even child sex trafficking victims, that they are often brought to the host cities by their traffickers and exploiters in order to take advantage of the potential for increased demand.

oftentimes these events have a very sordid underbelly where exploitation can take place.

So it is important for people to be aware of that reality.

But also of the fact that trafficking happens all year round.

It is not just isolated to these big events.

Briana: What are some of the other examples of that?

I'm thinking about New Jersey several years ago now was the host to the Super Bowl.

Were there examples of this then as well that you can point to?

Guest: absolutely.

The Super Bowl, any type of large convention, we know that law enforcement and even federal law-enforcement have seen instances where traffickers have been apprehended and even prosecuted for exploiting vulnerable people.

We know that in past instances, there have been sex trafficking victors and even child victims that had been recovered in past instances.

We have statistics on our website that folks can check out, that even work during one past Final Four weekend, we know that 47 men were arrested for attempting to solicit underage children for sex.

11 individuals were arrested for sex trafficking, and over 20 victims of sex trafficking were recovered, including a child victim, and that was just from one past Final Four weekend.

Briana: And we just saw a couple of the billboards that your organization has placed here in Newark.

Very quickly, what can the public do?

Are there steps that we can take if we think we're seeing something that are well within, legal rights?

Guest: we always encourage folks to call the National human trafficking Hotline if they think they are seeing suspected instances of sex trafficking.

But it is important to stay vigilant around these issues all year round.

The goal of the billboard campaign is to really interrogate the harmlessness of the act of sex buying in general.

You'll see that the billboards are a play on some basketball themes.

They say things like "it's madness to think that sex buying is a victimless crime."

Or "sex buying is foul."

Or "it's madness to think that sex buyers are just a guy who can't get dates."

It is really to challenge misconceptions around sex buyers.

If folks go to our website, they can see a recent report that Rights for Girls released called "buyers unmasked," exposing the men who bisects and solutions to end exploitation.

We dispel with many of these misconceptions around sex buyers, that they're harmless individuals.

We know that most men don't buy sex, but those who do often are aware and indifferent to the signs of violence coercion, , trafficking, and desperation in the women and girls that they're purchasing.

So it is important for the public to be aware, not just around these big events, but at again, traffickers will not just disappear after the games are over and the confetti has wiped off the floor.

This is something that's happening in all of our communities all year round.

Briana: Yasmin Vafa is the cofounder and executive director of the nonprofit Rights for Girls.

Thank you so much.

Guest: thank you.

BRIANA: days after congressional Democrats hosted in-person town halls in Republican districts, GOP representative Tom Kean Jr held a phone meeting with constituents, hosting them for 35 minute call Wednesday night, the first of such a meeting for this session of Congress.

It comes as National GOP leaders have advised members to avoid in person town halls, after events have gotten confrontational.

And Republicans argue they are able to hear directly from constituents without them.

Senior editor Colleen O'Dea listened in and joins us now to share what she heard.

Colleen, good to see you.

So, we have been talking a lot about whether congressional members are holding in person town halls or not.

Talk to me a little bit about what it is like listening in.

Was there back-and-forth between the congressmen and constituents?

Was it an open forum?

What happened.

Guest: There really wasn't any back-and-forth.

I don't know the mechanics because the congressional office has not returned my request to explain more, but what happened was people on the call were instructed to click story three, I believe it was, and then ask a question.

Somehow those questions seemed to get translated by a moderator , whoever that person was and then relayed in that way to the congressmen and then he responded.

So the things we see it in person town halls where a person can go back and ask a follow-up question, it may be challenge a response, and sometimes these things do get heated -- none of that happened.

Briana: I wonder, though, can there be an argument for maintaining decorum and eliminating some of that may be heckling or the tension that arises in that pushback to Psyche be able to answer more questions in a more civil way?

Guest: a I mean, there could be.

But then you do run the risk of a congressperson not answering the question and then the personal after the question doesn't really get the chance to say, could you try again?

He didn't really respond to my question.

And they probably go away frustrated because they didn't get the answer they wanted.

Briana: So what is representative Tom Kean's history since being in office withholding total health in general and meeting with constituents?

Guest: He has not held any in person town halls, we do know that.

His office put out a press release saying that he held 10 tele-town hall's last year.

It is unclear whether those were all open to General constituents in the district, or to select groups.

Because sometimes congresspeople people do that, they will say they held a town hall with Medicaid recipients or what have you.

So, it is unclear whether all 10 of those were with the general public.

I think the other thing is, we constantly hear from people in the district that it is almost impossible to just have a one-on-one conversation with our congressmen or talk to him.

He is very secretive about when he is appearing in public events, you know, from some congresspeople we hear -- so is going to be here at this time on this day.

From Congressman Kean, we really only get reports after the fact, if we get them at all.

Briana: OK, let me ask you quickly about some of our other GOP representatives -- Jeff Van Drew, Chris Smith, have they been holding events like this?

Of course Democrats are , targeting these districts, but we have heard from folks who voted for them who say, I have no problem accessing my congressman or his constituent office, and I'm OK not having a town hall.

What do we know about those districts?

Guest: So increase -- an Chris Smith's district, we hear that he hasn't held a town hall in more than a decade, perhaps 20 years.

I reached out to his office and didn't get a response.

That is one of the districts where Andy Kim held an alternative kind of town hall recently to give people a chance to vent and hear from them and to also hear from him what is happening in Washington.

Jeff Van Drew held one maybe earlier this month?

It is unclear.

It was posted on his website on March 13.

He was asked questions by a staff member.

He said -- at the start of this, that the staff member would be asking questions that had been submitted.

It was entirely unclear, though, whether those were submitted on the call at the time, unlike Congressman Kean city questions which seemed to be submitted as people were calling.

So I am not sure about what happened in Congressman Van Drew's case, that was a 45 minute telephone town hall.

BRIANA: alright, you can follow all of Colleen O'Dea's reporting on this and other subjects on our website at njspotlightnews.org.

Colleen, good to see you.

That will do it for us this week.

But before we go, remember to check out reporters roundtable this weekend with David Cruz.

He talks with the director of the Eagleton Center on the American Governor at Rutgers University about the latest in the crowded race for governor.

Plus,, a panel of journalists talk all the week's political headlines.

That's Saturday at 6:00 PM and Sunday at 10:00 AM.

And on ChatBox David continues , his new series, "the gubernatorial challengers," with two more of the candidates for New Jersey governor.

That is Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. right here on NJ PBS.

And a quick note, today we're losing several hard-working members of our team who have dedicated themselves to the mission of public media.

It's no secret, though, that the news industry is facing headwinds, and budget cuts are happening nationwide and right here.

They have been great colleagues, and even better friends most importantly.

We wish them nothing but the best.

I'm Briana Vannozzi, for the entire team at "NJ Spotlight News," Thank you for being with us.

Enjoy the weekend.

We'll see you right back here on Monday.

♪ ANNOUNCER: New Jersey Education Association.

"Making public schools great for every child."

RWJ Barnabas Health.

"Let's be healthy together."

New Jersey Realtors.

"The voice of real estate in New Jersey."

More information is online at njrealtor.com.

♪ And Orsted, committed to delivering clean, reliable, American-made energy.

>> public service is what we do at the PSEG foundation.

We volunteer hours, partnerships, and our other contributions, we're committed to empowering communities.

We work hand in hand with you, our neighbors, to educate young people, support research, environmental sustainability, and equitable opportunities, provide training and other services all over New Jersey and Long Island, uplifting communities.

That is what drives us.

The PSEG Foundation.

♪