Photo courtesy of Tiffany Portillo / GoFundMe.
A number of things have been happening throughout Hudson County and the state of New Jersey, which all have an impact on locals.
Learn all about it in this week’s news roundup.
Help Bring This West New York Dad Home
Tiffany Portillo, a West New York student, has created a GoFundMe page after her father was taken into custody by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Dec. 26, 2025.
“My dad, Jose Portillo, is a hardworking, loving man who has always put his family and others before himself. He has helped people even when we didn’t have much to give. Not only is he a good friend, uncle and brother, but he is an extraordinary father. I am the oldest of two siblings, 15 and 8, here in the United States, and we also have an older sister in Honduras who my parents financially supported,” Tiffany wrote on GoFundMe.
The family’s lawyer told them that Jose could be detained for two to three months, the fundraiser read.
The family is struggling financially and needs your help during these trying times.
“We are asking for help to cover lawyer fees, household expenses and to support our family during this incredibly painful time. Any donation, no matter how small, means more than words can express. If you can’t donate, sharing our story would mean the world to us,” Portillo wrote.
You can donate here to help the Portillo family today.
This Local Non-Profit Is Hosting A Food Distribution Throughout February
The BITE (Black Interest Team Enterprise) non-profit in Jersey City food and resource distribution is officially on!
It kicked off this past Saturday and will run every Saturday in February. Seniors will be served Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
People are asked to bring extra-large sturdy shopping carts and wagons with assistance. There will be fresh produce, meats, clothing and more.
Information on how to get food, if someone can deliver food, what you need to bring and more can be found here.
Old Jersey City Staple To Turn Into Two-Tower Development
The former location of Jersey City’s Golden Cicada bar will soon be turned into a two-tower development with school space and affordable housing.
Demolition work started at several nearby lots at 177 Grand Street, across from the St. Peter’s Prep sports facility.
The development will reportedly rise with a pair of towers that go up to 29 and 19 floors. It will have 397 residential units, which are made up of 27 studios, 187 one-bedrooms, 137 two-bedrooms, 15 three-bedrooms and 31 four-bedrooms, according to Jersey Digs.
Sixty of those units will be listed as affordable housing for “very low-, low- and moderate-income families.”
The ground floor is expected to house a commercial space split between two storefronts. The street level also includes an expansion annex for the nearby Church of Our Lady of Czestochowa.
There is a planned interior garage with 77 spaces for cars and 219 bicycle spots. The towers will also include a rooftop and an outdoor pool.
Activists Angered After Gov. Murphy Rejected Immigrant Protection Bills
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy rejected two bills designed to grow immigrant rights and protection.
The two bills, which are currently unsigned, restrict local, county and state police in assisting federal immigration agents and prevent sensitive personal data of New Jerseyans from being shared.
“I am extremely concerned that signing this bill, which differs from the Immigrant Trust Directive, would open New Jersey up to a new court challenge and renewed judicial scrutiny from judges who may not render the same decision upholding these critical protections,” Murphy said.
“Renewed litigation would also put our time-tested Immigrant Trust Directive at risk, endangering hundreds of thousands of immigrants in New Jersey in one fell swoop. I cannot in good conscience allow that to happen.”
Murphy further added, “The bill as written could be construed to conflict with federal law and, if signed, could jeopardize billions of dollars in federal funding for critical programs that serve the people of New Jersey. I deeply wish there was sufficient time left to correct this issue, but it is not possible due to the expiration of the legislative session. Therefore, the only responsible option is to decline to act on the bill at this time.”
Immigrant advocates were not happy with Murphy for vetoing the bills, which they said would provide pivotal protections for migrants, especially during the emphasized push enforced by the Trump administration.
Amol Sinha, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, said he is “deeply disappointed” with Murphy declining to sign two of them.
“In failing to sign these bills, Gov.Murphy has left New Jersey without critical protections at a moment when ICE is brutalizing our communities. These bills were legally sound, politically viable and commonsense policy,” Sinha said in a statement, according to New Jersey Monitor.
“We call on Governor-elect [Mikie] Sherrill, her administration and the Legislature to establish data privacy protections and ensure state and local resources are not commandeered for federal immigration enforcement––we have no time to waste.”
During Sherrill’s campaign trail, she did not specify on if she supports the now-rejected bills. Activists continue to advocate for Sherrill to pass the bills.
LED Lights Are Coming To River Road To Make Commuting More Efficient
Hudson County Executive Craig Guy announced ongoing safety improvements along River Road on Jan. 14. There will be a key corridor connecting West New York and North Bergen. This is being done through a partnership with PSE&G to upgrade all existing streetlights with modern, energy-efficient LED fixtures.
River Road is occupied by thousands of motorists, pedestrians and cyclists each day, and the lighting upgrades are designed to improve visibility and safety at night plus reduce risks for all road users.
“These improvements support our Vision Zero goals by helping to prevent crashes and serious injuries while ensuring residents can move safely through our communities,” Guy said in a statement.
Harrison Government Welcomes New Councilman And Firefighters
The town of Harrison welcomed new additions to their local government and first-response team this past week.
It included:
- Joseph Diaco as the 2nd Ward Councilman
- Anderson Gonzalez as a Harrison firefighter
- Malik Haynes-Smith as a Harrison firefighter
- Elijah Pollas as a Harrison firefighter
Bayonne Farmer Dies At 55
The Bayonne community is mourning the loss of Farmer Angel who passed away at the age of 55.
Angel, of Angel Family Farm, fed the Bayonne community through fresh vegetables from his farm in Orange County right to Bayonne residents’ front door.
The news was shared on Facebook group “Bayonne Talks” by his “grieving daughter,” Liz.
“Thank you to all the Bayonne community for supporting Angel Family Farm,” Liz wrote.
Memorial services for Angel took place on Saturday, Jan. 24 in Brooklyn, New York.
