Announcer: Funding for "NJ Spotlight News" provided by the members of the New Jersey Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

And by the PSEG foundation.

Briana: Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, trade war.

The Trump Administration hits pause on most tariffs.

But not before rattling global markets and retiree savings, which are hanging in the balance.

>> What I saw happen to my 401(k) last week was terrifying.

I lost the gains of one year in one day.

Briana: State health -- state health officials say New Jersey humans lost their herd immunity.

>> When you go to the data and look at county by county, you start to see there are some vulnerabilities.

Briana: Tensions mount over the future of the union County jail, and potential plans to convert it to an I.C.E.

detention facility.

As part of our under the dome series, new research from Rutgers suggest changing income requirements for child care subsidies could help thousands of families.

NJ Spotlight News begins right now.

♪ Announcer: From NJPBS Studios, this is "NJ Spotlight News," with Briana Vannozzi.

Briana: Good evening and thanks for joining us on this Wednesday night.

I'm Briana Vannozzi.

We begin with a few of today's top headlines, starting with the trade war.

In a complete 180, the Trump Administration today announced a 90 day pause on most new tariffs that went into effect at midnight, with the exception of China, which will instead see tariffs spike to 125%.

The news sent stocks surging after spending days in a volatile nosedive.

Wall Street has lost roughly $11 trillion since the president took office in January.

Raising fears that the U.S. was heading for a recession.

In a post on the social media platform truth social, president Trump wrote his decision was based on dozens of trading partners who called the White House to negotiate trade policy issues.

Noting leaders of those 75 countries did not try to retaliate with their own reciprocal tariffs.

Earlier today, China slapped an 84% retaliatory attacks on U.S. goods, while the EU voted to approve new tariffs on specific U.S. products sold there.

Immediately following the announcement, federal Democrats held a press conference where Senator Andy Kim said for a lot of small business owners, the move is too late and the damage has already been done.

Also tonight, New Jersey's road saw more fatalities last year than almost anywhere in the country.

Previous data revealed the state had a 14% spike in deadly road accidents compared to the national average in 2024, which declined by nearly 4%.

A new report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals we were among just 14 other states to buck that trend.

Alongside places like Connecticut, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. 680 seven people were killed in New Jersey last year in 650 crashes and collisions.

That is according to state police statistics.

Pedestrian deaths were at a 30 year high.

The U.S. Department of Transportation says it is teaming up with law enforcement agencies across the country to reduce those numbers, putting more officers on roads to crackdown on speeding, lack of seatbelt use, distracted driving, and driving while impaired.

The Murphy administration meanwhile is taking its own steps aiming to bring traffic deaths in the state down to zero over the next 15 years.

About a dozen Rutgers University students have had their visas revoked by the Trump Administration without explanation, according to the school's president, who in a letter to the wreckers community set all of the affected students were in good academic standing, and are being connected to legal help.

According to higher Ed reports, the White House has revoked hundreds of international student visas at dozens of colleges and universities across the nation, with some foreign students being forced to leave the U.S. immediately.

And no clear reason why the students are being targeted.

Secretary Of State Marco Rubio previously said, students who participated in protests against the Israel-Hamas war could see their visas terminated, because the activities are considered counter to national interests.

Though it is not yet known whether the wreckers students took part in last spring's demonstrations on campus.

The news follows the high profiled attainments of two Ivy League students who are in the U.S. legally but spoke out against the war.

Those who have retired or are near retirement have been watching the stock market freefall in distress, and now confusion over the about-face on tariffs.

Which caused investments to take a nosedive, and millions of Americans to lose significant amounts of their savings.

Even as markets rallied today following the trade policy change, retirees were left wondering if their accounts will recover.

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan takes a look.

>> My fellow Americans, this is Liberation Day.

Waiting for a long time.

Brenda: The president's new tariffs launched a global trade war that sent stocks plunging worldwide, as markets with solid worried folks watch their retirement investments take, and their futures unravel.

>> I am almost 65 and I'm trying to budget for retirement in a few years.

What I saw happen to my 401(k) last week was terrifying.

I lost the gains of one year in one day.

Brenda: Beverly Brown, a New Jersey social justice advocate, who turned out to protest Donald Trump's policies of hands-off rally were -- where others voiced fears over diminishing 401(k)'s, especially for people on fixed incomes.

>> We have such a high cost of living already in New Jersey.

Housing, property taxes, the cost of maintaining a home are already at a crisis level.

Significant drops in our retirement accounts, albeit short term, could leave many New Jerseyans unable to cover basic expenses.

Brenda: Some 70 million Americans, 42% of working folks were cut rely on 401(k)s, and even those not close to requirement don't know what to make of this gyrating stock market.

>> I think we are all just feeling scared and distressed by it, and then just like, wanting to -- I want to go through my bank account and start, maybe we should not spend on this and cancel that, and just sit tight for a while.

Brenda: Concerns are driving a flood of angry complaints to members of Congress including Senator Andy Kim's office, as people recalibrate.

Tom O'Flaherty is now putting off retirement despite major surgery.

>> Two weeks ago, I had open heart surgery.

What I said is hey, I'm done.

I'm going to pull the chips in, I have enough money saved.

And then sprinkle dust just happened last week, including yesterday and today.

So now it's like, hold on a second.

What do you do?

Brenda: He is a financial expert familiar with the markets but feels caught in a political power play.

>> Nervous, anxious, excuse the French, -- off.

This did not need to happen.

And to me, it is a game.

Brenda: The president's wielding tariffs has let -- is leverage saying he wants to even trade imbalances with other nations, a policy pushed by advisor Peter Navarro.

Elon musk recently called Navarro "a moron."

Trump noted last night -- >> These countries are calling us up, kissing my --, they are.

They are dying to make a deal.

Please, make a deal.

I will do anything.

Brenda: Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dismissed concerns over retirement accounts, telling NBC's Meet the Press -- >> That is a false narrative.

Americans who want to retire right now, that Americans who have put away for years in their savings accounts, I think they don't look at the date to date fluctuations of what is happening.

Most Americans don't have everything in the market.

>> To people who really lose are the ones who sell during the panic.

Brenda: Financial planner David Haas urges caution.

He says while the markets remain this volatile, folks probably should not be cashing out stocks to spend on big-ticket items.

>> You might want to think about putting that off.

Unfortunately, that affects the entire economy.

Because people will be doing the.

>> In the market is doing well, a lot of people are very comfortable taking on risk.

But when the waters get choppy, there is this desire to pull back.

It is one of those periods where you have to take a deep breath.

Brenda: Financial planner Shareef Mohammed says hold on, touch base with your advisor, the market will rebound.

But for now, Trump is driving the Dow.

I'm Brenda Flanagan, NJ Spotlight News.

Briana: A stark warning from health officials tonight.

New Jersey has lost its herd immunity to measles.

Putting residents here at greater risk of an outbreak from the highly contagious virus that has so far infected free people who travel to New Jersey this year, potentially exposing others throughout the state.

The issue was raised during a recent budget hearing for the state health department, as officials within the agency stare down potential funding cuts, and comes as the outbreak rose nationwide to more than 600 cases and three deaths.

For more on what is driving the lower rates of community resistance and what can be done about it, I'm joined by our health care writer, Lilo Stainton.

Herd immunity was not something that was part of our lexicon a few years ago.

I feel like everybody knows what it is.

But what is it and where are we at?

Lilo: I believe it is different for different diseases.

Listen to me committee expert.

But for measles, we are talking about higher than 95%.

According to the health Commissioner, we are now closer to 91% to 92%.

That may not sound like a major drop.

But as she pointed out, that is the average.

When you go to the data and look at a county by county, you start to see there are vulnerabilities, like Ocean County is below 85%.

That means that 15% of your residents are really at risk for disease like this.

If it starts to spread, which it has not yet in the community in New Jersey, we are not in an outbreak, having individual cases does not equal an outbreak.

Because they may be infected by somebody who then left the state or is not spreading it here.

But it starts to raise questions.

What if.

This is a public health officials that are worried about this for a long time.

Now the worst is coming to pass in Texas where it is spreading somewhat uncontrolled.

Briana: And of course, this week, we have the report of the third death.

Two older and, one adult.

What is driving it, is it the fact that people are hesitant, skeptical of vaccines in this post-pandemic era?

Or are folks vaccinated in deciding, I don't want this one in particular?

Lilo: This is a vaccine given to children when they are young.

It is one of the many that children get.

And admittedly, there are a lot of shots that we give infants and young children.

There are reasons for that.

They are more vulnerable at that age, their bodies are developing.

I think there is a lot of skepticism.

Clearly COVID brought a lot of questions about vaccines.

I think doctors love to stress to me that they are the experts, and listening to them, not making this up.

But they are telling me this is an extremely safe vaccine, and when you get the two shots as recommended, it is 97% effective.

Unlike the later we saw with Covid in the later stages, this protects you against infection.

It really is that shield.

Briana: What do we know about the health outcomes with measles?

We know we have had epidemiologists who say it is the most contagious virus out there.

How likely are you to have severe symptoms and in some cases, fatality?

Lilo: The likelihood is fairly low of fatality.

Symptoms can be mild.

The thing that is so unique about measles is it transmits for a long time.

It's like over a week you can be spreading this virus.

Including before you really come to know that you have it.

Briana: Talk about concerns the health department has as they look to shift the pots of money, they are expecting to have more to work with.

Are they up for the task?

Lilo: This was the question lawmakers were asking earlier this week.

And I think -- it's interesting to note a lot of this came up in the context of, and, let's remember summer, we will be hosting this World Cup.

As the commissioner said, with global events and global -- with global events come global diseases.

Health officials are worried.

There is more money in the state budget from state funds to boost the system.

But it really comes back to what happens in Washington.

This morning, RFK Junior was on television and he did recommend the measles vaccine, which is somewhat of a shift from the comments he has made before.

There is a lot of concern about lack of funds at the federal level, lack of seriousness about the urgency about this virus.

Still to be determined what will come down to.

Briana: You can read Lilo Stayton's full report on our website.

Thank you for coming in.

It's no secret New Jersey's high cost of living can make it hard for families to meet their basic needs.

New research by the records Center for women and work finds changing the income requirement for child care subsidies would be a big help.

Giving tens of thousands of low income working families the support they need.

Because many households fall into a gap, taking too much money to qualify for subsidies, but too little to afford the high cost of childcare.

A bill in the legislature could change that.

Raven Santana has the story as part of our new reporting project under the dome, exploring the state government and its impact on New Jersey.

>> Tickets emotional for me because I started this business as a single parent.

I had a provider like me.

I was working three jobs.

And she was my Savior.

Raven: Shareen Williams and wiped away her tears as she thought about the challenges she faced as a single mother trying to afford childcare.

It was the struggles that inspired her to open an in-home daycare in Orange where she could give back by providing affordable care to children who rely on childcare.

Raven: Unfortunately with subsidy, they are not looking at the bills you pay.

They are looking at your income.

When you are a single parent and you have to take care of a child and pay rent, and you have to pay utilities, and food, and transportation, they don't put all of that in the process.

So you are denied.

And it just leaves parents struggling.

Raven: Williamson has worked with families who earn too much to qualify for childcare subsidies but not enough to afford the typical hourly rate for care.

In response, she has offered discounts and in some cases, provided care free of charge.

She estimates her generosity has cost her over $80,000 in lost income, as a result of her selflessness and deep concern for the families she helps, she now finds herself behind on her mortgage payments and struggling to meet the basic needs of her own family.

>> I am behind on my mortgage.

Yes.

I am a few months behind on my mortgage.

Raven: A research analyst at the Rutgers Center for Women and work says according to her research, access to affordable childcare remains a persistent challenge for many parents in New Jersey.

The amount of the subsidy parents get varies depending on factors including income and the number of children.

For example, a family making $52,000 with two kids would owe a provider $130 a month for care, and the state would cover the rest.

>> New Jersey is at 200% of the federal poverty line, which in some states, that covers a lot of people.

In a state like New Jersey that has a very high state median income but also where the cost of living is very high, left the families do not qualify for subsidy.

Raven: A new report that Loke on Roy co-authored underscores the benefits of adjusting income eligibility for child care subsidies.

A change that could help tens of thousands of working parents struggling to afford the high cost of childcare, along with Deborah Lancaster, Executive Director of the Rutgers Center for Women and Work, she highlights a key issue many families earn too much to qualify for subsidies, but not enough to cover this -- the steep prices of care.

>> We are a high cost to state.

The pressure of childcare cost creates a whole bunch of ramifications for families.

Let's say two parents and one child, that is around $53,300.

If those two parents and one child, if those parents make minimum wage, that is now $15.40 in New Jersey, if they work 40 hours each, they are already over that threshold.

In terms of income, you can make minimum wage and already be out of the qualification for child care subsidy.

Raven: They are supporting legislation sponsored by Senator Teresa we -- Teresa Ruiz that would change the income eligibility to qualify for subsidies from the 200% of federal poverty level to 300%.

>> We understand the whole issue but now it comes down to where and how do we support this initiative, if in fact we were to do this.

Which we will call on the state to secure over $1 billion.

We have to be honest.

Also about those discussions.

To me, I would say let's find it.

Investment in our education infrastructure and investment in our family infrastructure, invents -- investment in human infrastructure will then, even though you're securing the money and putting it there, you will see the return on the investment and the savings in other departments.

Raven: Williamson warns if relief does not come soon, she may no longer be able to offer her services to parents in the coming years.

For NJ Spotlight News, on Raven Santana.

>> Under the dome is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Briana: There are fresh signs the Trump Administration is planning to ramp up deportations to a scale never before seen in the U.S. After issuing a request for proposals online, asking contractors to submit plans for new immigration detention facilities.

Along with proposals for transportation security guards, medical support and other services worth as much as $45 billion over the next two years.

But is according to the New York Times.

The moon is raising more questions about the future of the union County jail, which we previously reported is up for grabs to private buyers.

With the potential it will be converted into New Jersey's latest I.C.E.

facility.

Senior political correspondent David Cruz reports.

David: It is probably not a big surprise to many of you that private prison companies, mainly GEO Group and CoreCivic who contributed more than $1 million to Donald Trump's presidential campaign, are championing -- chomping at the bit for their prospects for big profits in 2025.

Here is Tennessee CoreCivic's CEO speaking on the company's fourth-quarter earnings report, discussing the change the administration in Washington and a flurry of executive orders and legislation.

>> The change in presidential administration on January 20 has ushered in significant legislative changes that directly impact our business.

We believe CoreCivic is well-positioned operationally and financially to meet what we expect to be a sharp acceleration in demand from our partners.

Particularly are key federal partners.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or I.C.E., and the United States marshals service.

We estimate that this act could require 60,000 to 110,000 additional detention beds.

David: The money for this rapid expansion is about to flow, as the administration has set aside $45 billion for new detention facilities and related services across the country.

First up to take advantage of the funding is Florida-based GEO Group, which has signed on to reopen Delaney Hall in Newark as a 1000 bed detention center.

The Newark Mayor told a rally outside the facility recently that he will stop the group from opening.

>> They have been very brazen and arrogant about telling people that they are opening up, giving them dates that they will open up.

They sent us a letter and said, hey, we are opening up here and have not taken out one permit, not gotten one inspection or gone to the planning board.

Have not done anything.

They believe that they will open up and we say, you will not open up.

David: Meanwhile, a new friend has opened in the battle.

Union County voted last month to seek requests for proposals that would lead to the eventual sale of the 600 bed former union County jail and Elizabeth.

But advocates are skeptical that cash-strapped governing bodies like union County will not care too much about what happens at the facility once it's sold.

>> That's why we are here to make sure and urge our local leaders to step up.

To actually have a commitment that they will not allow this to happen.

Not here in Union County, not even in Newark.

Not within our state.

David: Union County manager Edward Oberman said at the County commissioners meeting that this was not about opening a new immigration detention facility in Elizabeth.

Against which activists have demonstrated for years.

>> We are committed to ensuring any future use of the property reflects the values and needs of our community.

The RFP will include clear limitations on how the property can be used, specifically, if any proposals are received from operators interested in continuing to use it as a professional facility, we will consistent with state law, restrict any use to housing only individuals involving criminal justice system.

Such as those facing criminal charges.

Other types of use will not be permitted under the terms we set.

David: It should be noted that Trump Administration considers that anyone in the country without documentation is a criminal.

The CoreCivic CEO remains bullish on Elizabeth, where it already operates the detention center.

>> Continue to believe that the Elizabeth detention facility responds well to I.C.E.

's needs in that market.

David: As the tensions at the border Wayne, I.C.E.

actions inside the country are ramping up.

Creating huge demand for beds, and private companies are eager to meet it with supply.

I'm David Cruz, NJ Spotlight News.

Briana: On tomorrow on Chat Box, David continues his gubernatorial challengers series with one-on-one conversations with Democratic candidate and Newark Mayor, and Republican candidate and former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Krahn Jack.

Watched Chat Box Thursday at 6:00 p.m. streaming on our YouTube channel.

That's going to do it for us tonight.

I am Briana Vannozzi.

For the entire team at NJ Spotlight News, thanks for being with us.

Have a great evening.

We will see you right back here tomorrow.

>> New Jersey education Association.

Making public schools great for every child.

RWJBarnabas 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.

>> For more than a century, New Jersey realtors has worked to advocate for homeownership and private property rights.

Whether it's your home or business, we work on the issues that matter.

Here in Trenton and in your neighborhood.

As the voice for real estate in New Jersey, we support initiatives that safeguard homeownership, strengthen communities, and reinforce our economy.

Learn more at NJrealtor.com.

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