>> Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR ""CHAT BOX" WITH DAVID CRUZ" IS PROVIDED BY NJM INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

THE MEMBERS OF THE NEW JERSEY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, MAKING PUBLIC SCHOOLS GREAT FOR EVERY CHILD.

THE FUEL MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY, THE NATIONAL OIL HEAT RESEARCH ALLIANCE AND BIOHEAT, THE EVOLUTION OF OIL HEAT.

PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY INSIDER NJ, A POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE NETWORK DEDICATED TO NEW JERSEY POLITICAL NEWS.

INSIDER NJ IS COMMITTED TO GIVING SERIOUS POLITICAL PLAYERS AN INTERACTIVE FORUM FOR IDEAS, DISCUSSION, AND INSIGHT.

ONLINE AT INSIDERNJ.COM.

>>> HI, EVERYBODY, WELCOME TO "CHAT BOX."

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

A NEW ADMINISTRATION MEANS A NEW LOOK AT U.S. POLICY ON BIG ISSUES LIKE IMMIGRATION REFORM AND THE COVID FIGHT.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL CHANGES COMING TO IMMIGRATION POLICY IN A MINUTE AND THEN WE'LL CELEBRATE JAZZ ON THE RADIO WITH THE NEW BOSS AT THE NATION'S LEADING JAZZ RADIO STATION BUT WE START TODAY WITH THE COVID FIGHT.

THERE'S EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT THERE IS A LEVELING OFF OF THE IMPACT BUT THAT SHOULD NOT BRING MUCH COMFORT BECAUSE MANY CHALLENGES STILL REMAIN.

LET'S DIG INTO THAT RIGHT NOW WITH DR. SAGER.

HE IS CHIEF OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE IN TEA NECK.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME, DAVID.

>> WE REPORTED THIS WEEK ON THIS VIRTUAL PANEL DISCUSSION THAT WAS BASED IN TEANECK, INCLUDING THE MAYOR, SOME OF THEM FROM HOLY NAME.

THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT GETTING BLACKS, LATINOS, AND IMMIGRANTS TO BUY INTO THE CONCEPT OF BEING VACCINATED.

VACCINATION RATES IN THESE COMMUNITIES ARE REALLY LOW.

IN THE SINGLE DIGITS IN SOME REPORTS.

FEWER THAN 15% OF BLACK PEOPLE WHO ANSWER ADD POLL THINK THE VACCINE IS SAFE.

SO THIS IS A PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT COVID IS HAVING ON THESE COMMUNITIES.

I KNOW THERE'S A BIG PUSH ON NOW TO DISPEL THE MISINFORMATION AND THE DISINFORMATION, BUT IT'S A BIG CHALLENGE, NO?

>> SO, YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.

THERE'S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT.

ONE OF MY CLOSE COLLEAGUES WHO I WORK WITH VERY CLOSELY, DR. CLINT COLEMAN, WAS PART OF THAT DISCUSSION YESTERDAY.

HOLY NAME WAS REALLY THE EPICENTER OF THE PANDEMIC, CERTAINLY BACK IN THE SPRING, AND WE CONTINUE TO BE AT THE FORFRONT NOW WITH OUR CLINICAL RESEARCH, ET CETERA, AND VACCINE EFFORTS, BUT IF WE TAKE A STEP BACK IT'S VERY OBVIOUS TO US ON THE FRONT LINES THAT CERTAIN MINORITY POPULATIONS, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATIONS, THE LATINX, LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS WERE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY THIS PANDEMIC AND CONTINUE TO BE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED SO IT'S ALMOST A DOUBLE INSULT THAT NOW AS WE LOOK AT 44 MILLION VACCINES BEING DELIVERED, ABOUT 23 MILLION DOSES ADMINISTERED SO FAR, 6% OF THE POPULATION THUS FAR HAS RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THAT POPULATION, IF YOU COMBINE ALL MINORITY POPULATIONS, ONLY 3% TO 5% ARE REPRESENTED SO IT TELLS ME WE HAVE A BIG JOB TO DO IN TERMS OF EDUCATION, DISPELLING MYTHS AND ALSO WINNING THE TRUST.

AS YOU TOUCHED UPON YESTERDAY, VERY ELOQUENTLY, THESE ARE POPULATIONS THAT REALLY HAVE BEEN DISENFRANCHISED TO A DEGREE BY THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY.

THERE'S BEEN MISTRUST.

THERE'S BEEN A TRUST THAT HAS BEEN LOST AND REALLY WE NEED TO CONTINUE THE INFORMATION, FIGHT THE DISINFORMATION, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THIS IS THE FIRST PANDEMIC IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA ERA.

WELL, CERTAINLY, THERE IS AN INFODEMIC AS WELL.

THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO EDUCATE AND REACH OUT AND PUBLIC OUTREACH, ET CETERA, TO THESE POPULATIONS.

>> AND YOU REALLY HAVE TO GET TO SOME OF THE STRANGEST THINGS.

YOU KNOW, BILL GATES IMPLANTING A CHIP IN YOU, YOU KNOW, IT CHANGES YOUR DNA.

THESE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT, IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NORMALLY SANE AND LUCID, THESE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT THEY'RE SAYING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE AND IT'S NOT JUST THE MINORITY PROPOSITIONS.

YOU LOOK ACROSS THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN CONSPIRACY THEORIES.

THERE'S IDEAS THAT THIS CHANGES YOUR DNA, WHICH IS NOT TRUE.

IT NEVER ENTERS YOUR NUCLEUS, WHERE YOUR DNA, WHICH OUR HARD WIRED CODE FOR OUR BODIES ARE HOUSED, IT NEVER GOES THERE.

THERE'S THIS IDEA THAT YOU CAN GET COVID-19 FROM THIS VACCINE.

ABSOLUTELY FALSE.

THE VACCINE DOES NOT HAVE ANY ACTIVE VIRUS IN IT.

OF COURSE, YOU'VE HEARD THE EVEN MORE RIDICULOUS RUMORS OF COMPUTER CHIPS BEING IMPLANTED IN YOU, MIND CONTROL, ET CETERA.

BUT WE HAVE TO NOT JUST LAUGH AT THESE THINGS BUT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS WHERE SOME PEOPLE ARE AND WE REALLY, AS PHYSICIANS, FRONTLINE WORKERS, NURSES, EDUCATORS, REALLY DO OUR PART TO WIN THE TRUST OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN RURAL COMMUNITIES, CERTAIN DISENFRANCHISED MINORITY COMMUNITIES, LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC POPULATIONS ARE -- ARE AND CONTINUE TO BE HESITANT AND FEARFUL AND DO NOT NECESSARILY TRUST THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY AND ARE MAYBE, PERHAPS, NOT GOING TO GET THE VACCINE.

AGAIN, I HAVE TO REITERATE STRONGLY, THESE ARE THE VERY POPULATIONS THAT ARE MOST AT RISK, THAT HAVE BEEN AT RISK, THAT HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED AND WE REALLY NEED TO CONTINUE THIS FIGHT AGAINST MISINFORMATION.

>> IT'S CLEAR NOW THAT DEMAND IS EXCEEDING SUPPLY.

>> RIGHT.

>> WHICH IS GOOD NEWS IN ONE RESPECT, AT LEAST SOMEBODY'S GETTING INOCULATED, BUT WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THIS SHORT SUPPLY AND WHEN IS THE SHORTAGE EXPECTED TO EASE?

>> YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL, OBVIOUSLY, IS 600 MILLION DOSES BY THE END OF SUMMER, WHICH WOULD MEAN 300 MILLION OUT OF A POPULATION OF ABOUT 340, 350 MILLION IN THE UNITED STATES THAT CAN BE FULLY VACCINATED BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE THE END OF THE SUMMER.

WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.

RIGHT NOW, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS ABOUT TEN MILLION DOSES PER WEEK.

THE LARGE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW HOW MANY VACCINES WE ARE ALLOTTED FOR CERTAIN TIMES SO HOLY NAME HAS A DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN TEA NECK, OTHER CENTERS AS WELL, PEOPLE BECOME FRUSTRATED, THEY MAKE APPOINTMENTS AND SUBSEQUENTLY ARE TOLD, I'M SORRY, WE HAVE TO CANCEL YOUR APPOINTMENT, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH VACCINE.

ON THE ONE HAND, WE'RE VERY, VERY HAPPY THAT IN THE MAJORITY POPULATION, AGAIN, NOT ALL, AS WE TOUCHED UPON, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION, IN SOME ESTIMATES, 70% OR MORE, THE DEMAND IS INDEED THAT HIGH.

IF WE LOOK BACK JUST SEVERAL MONTHS, THAT WAS LESS THAN 50%, MAYBE EVEN ONE-THIRD SO WE'RE HAPPY THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING AND ANXIOUS AND EAGER TO TAKE THE VACCINE.

BUT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE NOW WITH BOTH -- AND I WOULD SAY THAT THE PROCESS HAS BEEN REPLACED.

IT'S JUST THE IDEA OF THE DISTRIBUTION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

NOW CERTAIN THINGS ARE COMING INTO PLACE.

STATES ARE NOW GOING TO BE TOLD WITHIN THREE WEEKS HOW MUCH VACCINE THEY HAVE SO THEY CAN MAKE APPOINTMENTS THREE WEEKS OUT SO THEY HAVE A MORE EXACT IDEA OF HOW MUCH VACCINE THEY'RE RECEIVING.

AND AGAIN, I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN SOME HICCUPS ALONG THE WAY BUT IT'S STARTING TO SMOOTH OUT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, AGAIN, EVENTUALLY ACHIEVING THAT HERD IMMUNITY.

I CAUTION, THOUGH, THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG ROAD AHEAD IN SOME RESPECTS, BECAUSE WE KNOW AND WE'VE TOUCHED UPON BEFORE THE DIFFERENT VARIANTS THAT ARE OUT THERE, THE VARIANTS THAT CAN BE MORE TRANSMISSIBLE, AND SO UNTIL WE ACHIEVE A HIGH LEVEL OF HERD IMMUNITY AND, AGAIN, BETWEEN 75% AND 85%, WE'RE STILL GOING TO SEE CASES, WELL, NOW THEY HAVE BEEN DROPPING OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, WHICH IS VERY THANKFUL.

WE MAY SEE RESURGENCE AND CERTAINLY THIS IS NO TIME TO REST ON OUR LAURELS.

WE HAVE TO KEEP AHEAD OF THIS CURVE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THESE VARIANTS REALLY QUICKLY IN THE LITTLE BIT OF TIME WE HAVE LEFT.

SO FAR, UK VARIANT THAT THE CDC SAYS IS GOING TO BE THE DOMINANT STRAIN HERE.

>> DOMINANT.

>> BY THE SPRING.

AND THEN WE'RE HEARING ABOUT THIS SOUTH AFRICAN VARIANT.

WHAT'S THE DANGER POSED BY THESE VARIANTS AND WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT WHETHER THESE VACCINES CAN GET THE JOB DONE AGAINST THEM?

>> SO, VERY QUICKLY, THE UK VARIANT, CALLED B 117, VERY WELL, ACCORDING TO CDC, MAY BE THE DOMINANT STRAIN AS EARLY AS MARCH.

AND NOW THE IDEA HERE, NOT NECESSARILY MORE LETHAL, ALTHOUGH THAT'S BEING LOOKED AT CURRENTLY, BUT IT'S MUCH MORE HIGHLY TRANSMISSIBLE AND THAT'S -- THE SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR THE BRAZILIAN AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN VARIANT.

UNLIKE THE BRAZILIAN AND SOUTH AFRICAN, IT APPEARS THAT THE UK VARIANT IS WELL COVERED WITH THE CURRENT VACCINES, MODERNA AND PFIZER, BOTH OF WHICH ARE MESSENGER RNA VACCINES.

MORE CONCERNING IS THE SOUTH AFRICAN AND THE BRAZILIAN VARIANTS, WHICH MAY BE ABLE TO ESCAPE THE ANTIBODIES PRODUCED BY THE CURRENT VACCINES.

WE NOW KNOW IN SOUTH CAROLINA, FOR INSTANCE, JUST TODAY, THAT TWO CASES OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN VARIANT WERE DESCRIBED, SO WE KNOW THAT THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING.

THESE ARE NOT SURPRISING, HOWEVER.

WE KNOW VIRUSES MUTATE.

IT'S WHAT THEY DO.

INFLUENZA MUTATES AT A MUCH HIGHER RATE WHICH IS WHY YOU NEED A VACCINE EVERY YEAR.

HIV, FOR INSTANCE, MUTATES AT A MUCH HIGHER RATE, WHICH IS WHY WE DON'T HAVE A VACCINE AFTER 35-PLUS YEARS OF TRYING TO DEVELOP ONE.

IT MEANS WE HAVE TO STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE HERE.

WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY SURVEY AND UNDERSTAND GENOMIC SEQUENCE, CERTAIN VIRUSES, SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PREVALENCE IN SOCIETY AND LASTLY, I WOULD SAY THE MESSENGER RNA TECHNOLOGY, THIS IS THE OPTIMISM HERE.

THIS IS LIKE A PROCESS THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE.

SO, WITH NEW BOOSTERS AND NEW VACCINES COMING OUT, CAN BE VERY EASILY REPROGRAMMED TO ADDRESS THESE NEW VARIANTS.

WE DON'T HAVE TO START FROM SCRATCH.

PEOPLE SHOULD FEEL VERY POSITIVE ABOUT THIS TECHNOLOGY.

IT'S AN INCREDIBLE GAME CHANGER IN TERMS OF OUR ABILITY TO DEVELOP VACCINES QUICKLY AND ADJUST THEM AS NEEDED BASED ON MUTATIONS,ET CETERA.

SO, AGAIN, WHILE WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, THAT IS CERTAINLY A SOURCE OF OPTIMISM.

>> ALL RIGHT, STILL SO MUCH MORE TO LEARN.

DR. SURAJ SAGGAR, CHIEF OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE AT HOLY NAME MEDICAL CENTER IN TEA NECK, THANKS FOR TAKING TIME TO TALK WITH US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, DAVID.

APPRECIATE IT.

>>> SO THE PAST FOUR YEARS HAVE BEEN ESPECIALLY HARD ON VULNERABLE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, BUT THE NEW BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS SIGNALLED THAT IMMIGRATION IS A PRIORITY ISSUING EXECUTIVE ORDERS AND PREPARING AN AMBITIOUS IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL.

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHY IMMIGRANTS SHOULD BE EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND WHY THEY SHOULD CONTROL THAT EXCITEMENT A LITTLE BIT.

JOINING US IS ATTORNEY INGRID ECHAVARRIA.

SHE HAS AN IMMIGRATION PRACTICE IN NORTH HUDSON COUNTY.

COUNSEL, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, DAVID.

>> LET'S START WITH SOME OF THE SPECIFICS OF THIS BILL.

THE HEADLINE IS A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP FOR ABOUT 11 MILLION AMERICANS, ALMOST 500,000 IN NEW JERSEY, BEGINNING WITH IMMEDIATE GREEN CARD APPLICATIONS FOR DACA RECIPIENTS, THOSE HERE ON TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS, AND AGRICULTURAL WORKERS.

OTHERS WILL WAIT FIVE YEARS FOR GREEN CARD APPLICATIONS, AND THEN WITHIN THREE YEARS, YOU CAN APPLY FOR CITIZENSHIP.

WHAT HAS THE REACTION BEEN IN UNION CITY AND WEST NEW YORK AND NORTH BERGEN WHERE A LOT OF YOUR CLIENTS ARE LIVING?

>> WELL, DAVID, THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THESE PROPOSED LEGISLATION HAS BEEN RECEIVED BY THE UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY AS A BLESSING.

AS YOU JUST MENTIONED, THE PAST FOUR YEARS HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE PRIOR ADMINISTRATION MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION, TO OBTAIN THEIR GREEN CARD.

AND JUST AS YOU SUMMARIZED THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION WILL ALLOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN RESIDING IN THE UNITED STATES TO ACTUALLY OBTAIN LEGAL STATUS.

FIRST, WE HAVE TO CAUTION PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT A LAW ALREADY.

THIS HAS TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BECOMING LEGISLATION, AND SO FOR RIGHT NOW, THE RIGHT TIME -- WHAT THE PERSON CAN DO RIGHT NOW IS ACTUALLY PREPARE.

ONCE THIS BECOMES A LAW.

SO, WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE DOING RIGHT NOW IS MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THEIR PASSPORTS.

MANY PEOPLE NEVER APPLIED FOR A PASSPORT.

SO, THEY SHOULD HAVE THEIR PASSPORT.

THEY SHOULD HAVE THEIR BIRTH CERTIFICATE.

IF SOMEONE HAD A PRIOR CONTACT WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THEY SHOULD BE GETTING THEIR COURT DECISIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER CONVICTION THEY HAD WOULD NOT PREVENT THEM FROM APPLYING.

ALSO, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT EVEN IF SOMEONE HAS HAD A CONVICTION, THAT DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY MEAN THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE.

USUALLY, WHEN A LEGISLATION PASSES, THE PERSON CAN HAVE TWO MISDEMEANORS, TWO CONVICTIONS FOR TWO MISDEMEANORS, AND THEY CAN STILL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THE BENEFIT.

>> PEOPLE SHOULD ALSO BE WORKING ON PROOF OF RESIDENCY, RIGHT?

BECAUSE YOU NEED TO SHOW THAT YOU WERE HERE BEFORE NOVEMBER OF 2020.

>> THAT IS CORRECT.

YES.

THAT IS CORRECT.

WHAT I SUGGEST THAT THE PEOPLE WHO MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS REFORM MAY DO IS ACTUALLY START GATHERING EVIDENCE THAT THEY HAD BEEN CONTINUOUSLY RESIDING IN THE UNITED STATES.

AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE DATE THAT THE PERSON MUST HAVE BEEN IN THE UNITED STATES IS JANUARY 1st, 2021, BUT OF COURSE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT FOR RIGHT NOW, IT IS PREMATURE TO KNOW WHETHER THAT WOULD WBE THE ACTUALDATE THAT THE FINAL LEGISLATION WILL REQUIRE.

>> THERE'S ALSO IN THERE A MORATORIUM ON DEPORTATIONS, ALTHOUGH THAT IS BEING CHALLENGED RIGHT NOW IN COURT IN TEXAS.

A -- COULD BE A RESTRAINING ORDER ISSUED AS EARLY AS THIS WEEK.

BUT RIGHT NOW, IT'S 100 DAYS, RIGHT?

>> THAT IS CORRECT.

IT IS 100 DAYS FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY HAVE A DEPORTATION ORDER.

YES, IT'S BEING CHALLENGED ALREADY IN TEXAS.

AS WE KNOW, EVERY TIME THAT A -- AN ADMINISTRATION ATTEMPTS TO DO SOMETHING, THERE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO DOES NOT AGREE WITH WHAT IS BEING DONE, AND IT WILL BE CHALLENGED IN COURT, AND THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE IN TEXAS RIGHT NOW.

>> IT'S NOT ABOUT ONLY REPUBLICANS WHO ARE OPPOSED TO THIS, ALTHOUGH THERE'S A SENSE THAT THEY ARE.

I MEAN, PRESIDENT OBAMA, THEY CALLED HIM THE DEPORTER IN CHIEF.

JOE BIDEN WAS HIS VICE PRESIDENT.

I HAVE JUST A COUPLE SECONDS LEFT.

IS THERE ANY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT JOE BIDEN IS GOING TO BE A REAL ALLY WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO CRUNCH TIME?

>> WELL, I THINK THAT THE -- I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THE NEW ADMINISTRATION WILL TREAT THE UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY MORE HUMANELY BECAUSE WE HAD IN A PRIOR ADMINISTRATION AT THE BORDER OR AT THE SEPARATION OF CHILDREN FROM THEIR PARENTS WAS, IN MY OPINION, INHUMANE.

SO, I THINK THAT THIS NEW ADMINISTRATION, PEOPLE WILL BE TREATED AS HUMAN BEINGS, AND I THINK THAT THE NEW ADMINISTRATION WILL ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING SO THAT PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY OBTAIN THEIR LEGAL STATUS, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, PERHAPS DURING THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, THE NUMBER OF -- THE DEPORTATIONS WERE EXTREMELY HIGH, BUT LET'S LOOK AT THE PEOPLE THAT THEY TARGETED.

THEY TARGETED PEOPLE WHO HAD SERIOUS CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS OR PEOPLE WHO HAD HAD PRIOR DEPORTATION ORDERS OR SOMETIMES MULTIPLE DEPORTATION ORDERS.

SO, THAT IS A DIFFERENT, I GUESS, GROUP OF PEOPLE.

NOW, THE PRIOR ADMINISTRATION, UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THEY TARGETED EVERYONE.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT WAS SOMEONE WHO HAD NO CONTACTS WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM OR IT DIDN'T MATTER IF SOMEBODY HAD BEEN IN THE UNITED STATES FOR MANY YEARS AND HAD BEEN FILING TAXES.

THEY BASICALLY TARGETED EVERYONE IN GENERAL, WHICH I THINK IS NOT FAIR, BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 20 YEARS OR 30 YEARS.

THEY OWN THEIR BUSINESSES.

THEY CREATE JOBS FOR OTHER PEOPLE.

SO, I THINK THAT THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DEPORTATIONS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE OBAMA ERA COMPARED TO WHAT WE CAN EXPECT UNDER THE NEW ADMINISTRATION.

>> ALL RIGHT, MORE TO COME ON THIS IN THE WEEKS AND THE MONTHS AHEAD.

INGRID ECHEVERRIA IS AN IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY IN HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

COUNSELOR, THANKS FOR TAKING TIME WITH US.

TALK TO YOU AGAIN SOON.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> SO, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO CREATE A SPECIAL SEGMENT HERE CALLED "FAVORITE JOBS THAT I HAVE EVER HAD."

THIS WEEK, WE TALK ABOUT MY DAYS AS THE JAZZ HEAD NEWS MAN AT WBGO, THE ONLY FULL-TIME JAZZ RADIO STATION IN THE NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN AREA.

JOINING US IS THE NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO OF WJBO, STEVE WILLIAMS.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, MAN.

>> DAVID, THANKS FOR HAVING ME, MAN.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN TOO.

>> SO, YOU TOOK OVER AFTER A TOUGH PERIOD OF INTERNAL ISSUES OVER THERE AND WE DON'T NEED TO GET INTO ALL THE DETAILS BUT FOR ME, THE BIG TAKEAWAY IS THAT THE PEOPLE WHO WORK AT JAZZ 88 ALL KIND OF FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE OWNERSHIP OF THE PLACE.

THERE'S A LOT OF PASSION, NOT JUST FOR JAZZ BUT FOR THE RADIO STATION ITSELF, NO?

IT'S A BIG PART OF THE HISTORY OF NEWARK AND A BIG PART OF NEWARK'S PERSONALITY.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

AND YOU SAID IT.

THE WORD IS PASSION.

PEOPLE POUR THEIR HEART AND SOUL AND JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE THEY HAVE TO KEEP WBGO AND THE SOUND OF JAZZ MUSIC AND RHYTHM AND BLUES AND BLUES AND TERRIFIC NEWS AND SPOKEN WORD PROGRAMMING ON THE AIR.

THERE'S A TREMENDOUS LEGACYING THAT TAFTHAT IS ATTACHED TO WBG AND ITS HISTORY GOING BACK MORE THAN 40 YEARS SO FOR ALL OF US THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE RADIO STATION, AND EVEN THOSE WHO AREN'T INVOLVED ANYMORE BUT WERE PREVIOUSLY, THIS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS, MAN.

WE REALLY TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY, AND WE TAKE IT TO HEART.

AND WE REALLY, REALLY WANT BGO TO SUCCEED.

AND I THINK THAT'S -- THAT, IN SOME WAYS, EXPLAINS THE PASSION AND THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU SEE AND FEEL, NOT JUST IN THE NEWS BUT WHAT COMES OUT OF THE SPEAKERS, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

>> WE SHOULD ALSO -- I GOT TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO DOUG I'DOYLE WHO'S A NEWS DIRECTOR OVER THERE, WHO IS A GREAT FRIEND OF MINE WHO IS JUST ONE OF THE GREAT, GREAT PEOPLE IN PUBLIC MEDIA.

SO, SHOUTOUT TO DOUG.

>> YEAH, DOUG'S ONE OF THOSE -- >> GO AHEAD.

>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, DOUG IS ONE OF THOSE PILLARS OF WBGO'S LONG SUCCESS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND GLOBALLY.

>> YEAH.

THIS IS ALSO NOT YOUR FIRST GO AROUND AT THE STATION.

YOU WERE PROGRAM DIRECTOR THERE FOR A BIT.

WE FIRST MET WHEN I WAS DOING A SHOW CALLED "NEWARK TODAY," WHICH IS NOW IN THE CAPABLE HANDS OF MY COLLEAGUE, MICHAEL HILL.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU BACK?

>> THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE WBGO INTO ITS NEXT PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT AND SUCCESS WAS IRRESISTIBLE TO ME.

I SHARE THAT PASSION THAT WE SPOKE OF A MOMENT AGO, AND I SAW THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY CONTINUE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I HAD BEGUN DURING MY TENURE AS PROGRAM DIRECTOR.

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE OFFERS THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO REFUSE, SO HERE I AM.

>> THAT REALLY IS AN OFFER YOU CAN'T REFUSE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU LOVE JAZZ AND RADIO.

AND OF COURSE, WHO DOESN'T WANT TO START A NEW JOB IN THE MIDDLE OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, I'M CHUCKLING.

I MEAN, THAT'S ALSO VERY SERIOUS BUSINESS, AND YOU'RE RIGHT.

THIS IS A CHALLENGING TIME FOR ALL OF US, BUT WE ALSO SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY IN THE UNIQUE WAY THAT WBGO ALWAYS HAS FOR THE LAST FOUR DECADES.

AND IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU BRING UP THE SERVICE IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC.

YOU KNOW, I ACTUALLY CAME ON BOARD ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AS A CONSULTANT, AS A PROGRAMMING CONSULTANT.

I WAS ASKED TO COME BACK INTO THE WBGO FOLD, THE UNIVERSE, BY THE INTERIM CEO AND THE FOUNDER OF NEWARK PUBLIC RADIO, BOB EIDENHOFF.

HE NEEDED SOME HELP ON THE PROGRAMMING SIDE, AND ABOUT A MONTH AFTER I CAME ON BOARD IS WHEN THE PANDEMIC REACHED UNBELIEVABLE HEIGHTS IN THE NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN AREA.

SO, WE WERE REALLY FACED WITH SEVERAL CHALLENGES, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH WAS FIGURING OUT A WAY TO KEEP OUR EMPLOYEES SAFE AND OUT OF HARM'S WAY WHILE AT THE SAME TIME CONTINUING OUR SERVICE, THE SERVICE THAT THE PEOPLE REALLY RELY ON, ESPECIALLY IN TOUGH TIMES, YOU KNOW?

WE WANTED TO KEEP WBGO ON THE AIR, AND IN SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, SO WE HAD TO -- AS THEY SAY, TURN ON A DIME AND FIGURE OUT A WORKABLE SOLUTION TO KEEPING THE STATION ON THE AIR AND ALLOWING OUR ANNOUNCERS AND OUR SUPPORT STAFF TO WORK FROM HOME AND STAY OUT OF HARM'S WAY.

AND WE DID THAT, AND IT'S ALMOST A YEAR NOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING AND BROADCASTING REMOTELY WITH OUR ANNOUNCERS DOING THEIR RADIO PROGRAMS FROM THEIR HOMES.

VARIOUS PLACES ACROSS THE METROPOLITAN AREA.

AND IT HAS GONE ON VIRTUALLY F FLAWLESSLY, DAVID.

>> MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT.

AND THE REASON WHY THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING REMOTELY AND LARGELY FROM HOME FOR NEARLY A YEAR IS IT'S REALLY A CREDIT TO THE PROFESSIONALISM AND THE COMMITMENT OF THE STAFF AND MANAGEMENT OF WBGO AND THE ACCESS TO IMPORTANT, PIVOTAL TECHNOLOGIES THAT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN.

WHAT MANY PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE, DAVID, IS THAT THERE ARE A GREAT MAJORITY OF RADIO STATIONS AND TELEVISION OPERATIONS THAT ARE DOING THE BULK OF THEIR OPERATIONS FROM VARIOUS PLACES, NOT FROM, YOU KNOW, THE TRADITIONAL STUDIO SET-UP, AND SO, WE FELT THAT IN ORDER TO ADEQUATELY SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, WE HAD TO FOLLOW THAT PATH.

AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S REALLY WORKED WELL FOR US, AND OBVIOUSLY WORKED WELL FOR THE LIST LISTENERS.

>> I'LL LET YOU IN ON A LITTLE SECRET.

WE'RE ACTUALLY IN MY DINING ROOM.

>> WELL, EXACTLY.

EXACTLY.

BUT YOU KNOW, I MEAN -- >> I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

>> THE ADAGE, THE SHOW MUST GO ON, REALLY RINGS TRUE, ESPECIALLY IN THESE TIMES OF CRISIS.

AND THAT'S -- THAT'S THE -- AT THE CORE OF WHAT WE DO AS BROADCASTERS, RIGHT?

WE SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES IN GOOD TIMES AND IN BAD, AND IT'S USUALLY IN THE BAD TIMES WHEN THEY NEED US THE MOST.

>> ALL RIGHT, STEVE WILLIAMS, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF WBGO JAZZ 88 IN NEWARK, GOOD TO SEE YOU, MAN.

WE'LL WILL LISTENING.

>> LIKEWISE, MAN.

THANK YOU, DAVID.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME, MAN.

>> ALL RIGHT, THAT'S ALL THE "CHAT BOX" WE HAVE THIS WEEK.

THANKS TO OUR GUEST, STEVE WILLIAMS, INGRID ECHEVERRIA AND DR. SAGGAR.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO GET EXCLUSIVE CONTENT.

YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AT@DAVIDCRUZNJ AND REACH OUT, USE #NJTVCHATBOX.

FOR ALL THE CREW OVER HERE, THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "CHAT BOX WITH DAVID CRUZ" IS PROVIDED BY NJM INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

THE MEMBERS OF THE NEW JERSEY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, MAKING PUBLIC SCHOOLS GREAT FOR EVERY CHILD.

THE FUEL MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY, THE NATIONAL OIL HEAT RESEARCH ALLIANCE AND BIOHEAT, THE EVOLUTION OF OIL HEAT.

PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY INSIDER NJ, A POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE NETWORK DEDICATED TO NEW JERSEY POLITICAL NEWS.

INSIDER NJ IS COMMITTED TO GIVING SERIOUS POLITICAL PLAYERS AN INTERACTIVE FORUM FOR IDEAS, DISCUSSION, AND INSIGHT.

ONLINE AT INSIDERNJ.COM.