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.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, and by the PSEG Foundation.

Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, as engineer contract negotiations stall, New Jersey transit officials go on offense, warning of severe service disruptions ahead of a possible May 16th strike.

If they are playing a game of chicken with the lives of 350,000 riders, I think they are in for a rude surprise.

Plus, day eight of flight delays and cancellations, leaving passengers frustrated and stranded at Newark Airport.

Also, a pre-dawn rally outside Delaney Hall.

Mayor Ras Baraka and immigration advocates protest ICE's unlawful detention of immigrants at the Newark facility.

I'll tell you this, though.

We don't come down here every day until they let us in.

So we're going to be out here tomorrow, the day after, the day after, the day after that.

We're just going to keep coming.

And NJ decides 2025.

We're profiling each of the Republican candidates ahead of Wednesday night's GOP gubernatorial conversation.

Tonight, longtime radio personality Bill Spadea.

NJ Spotlight News begins right now.

From NJ PBS studios, this is NJ Spotlight News with Brianna Vannozzi.

Good evening and thanks for joining us on this Tuesday night.

I'm Brianna Vannozzi.

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

First, rail passengers should prepare for a strike on New Jersey Transit.

That's after heads of the agency and its locomotive engineers union today walked away from contract negotiations without a deal on pay raises.

At a press conference this afternoon, New Jersey Transit CEO Chris Calori called the latest proposal from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen a quote "head scratcher" because instead of meeting halfway on their salary request, he says the union upped the ante from a $55,000 increase to $90,000 more per year.

That would make the average salary $225,000.

New Jersey Transit says that would require the agency to raise fares by 34% or increase the transit fee on corporations by 37%.

The two sides have until midnight May 15th to reach a deal and after today, it appears they're as far apart as ever.

Calori maintains the rail agency does not want to see a strike happen but has contingency plans in place if it comes to that.

I'm not sure if they understand how to negotiate.

Worse yet, I think it is a clear signal that they intend on striking and not seeking a solution.

The union tells NJ Spotlight News it was CEO Calori who walked out of negotiations today and declined to continue bargaining.

It also disputes the numbers New Jersey Transit offered for annual pay raises and says the agency is "spreading misinformation at their press conferences to gain public support."

Also tonight, no relief in sight for travelers at Newark Airport.

The delays and cancellations are still piling up for an eighth day.

As of this afternoon, more than 100 flights into and out of the airport had been axed.

More than 200 were operating on delays.

Hundreds more were affected just in Sunday.

The problems stem from aging technology causing equipment to fail, an air traffic controller shortage and the ongoing closure of one of the airport's runways for upgrades.

Governor Murphy sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy asking him to prioritize the Newark region for any technology and facility upgrades, noting this is the busiest airspace in the country.

He also praised efforts to boost the hiring and training of air traffic controllers, but noted the nation is still short some 3,000.

According to the FAA, the shortage was made worse after controllers at the Philadelphia Control Center took time off to recover from the stress of multiple radar communication outages.

United Airlines, which is the largest carrier at Newark this week, urged customers to consider switching to other airports or reschedule travel plans.

Governor Murphy and federal leaders from the region have called for an investigation into the issues at the FAA.

A major change for travelers goes into effect tomorrow.

Anyone over the age of 18 will need a real ID to board a domestic flight or access certain federal buildings.

A valid U.S. passport is also acceptable, but the rollout comes 20 years after the Real ID Act was passed by Congress following recommendations from the 9/11 Commission.

It was delayed multiple times, though, over the years.

The Transportation Safety Administration says without a real ID or other acceptable form of ID, you're likely to face more screening times and travel delays.

For more on what you need to know, I'm joined by Adam Stahl.

He's a senior official performing the duties of deputy administrator at the TSA.

Adam, good to talk to you.

I think the thing most on travelers' minds is what happens if I show up and I don't have this real ID and I don't have a valid passport?

First, thank you for having me.

So if you do not have a real ID or a sufficient alternative, you may be subject to additional screening measures.

But if you have that noncompliant state-issued ID, the most important thing is you'll be OK. You'll get through checkpoint.

But please leave yourself additional time.

You may be subject to additional screening and it may take some time.

But please save some time if you do have that noncompliant state-issued ID.

Yeah.

I mean, I know here in New Jersey, the Motor Vehicle Commission and elsewhere have been completely inundated with folks, just overwhelmed with folks trying to get the ID.

How has the TSA made sure that the public is both aware and prepared?

Yeah.

So this has been a whole society effort.

We're working hand in glove, close conjunction with our local and state DMVs, local and state municipalities and cities and states, working closely with the airports, the airlines, as well as the broader federal government and the population.

So this has been a full court press, whole society effort.

And we really, really appreciate the support specifically from the state DMVs.

I know they've been really expanding their hours of operation for enrollment, both on Saturdays and the weekends, as well as at night.

So we really appreciate the support.

This is really important, really to ensuring the collective security for the American public.

There's been a lot of talk, Adam, about the fact that New Jersey lags the rest of the nation in terms of being real ID compliant, but that we have the most folks with valid U.S. passports.

So do those people need to worry about rushing to get an appointment?

I mean, how long do they have to make sure that they're compliant?

Well, I always urge and I want to continue to urge individuals to really prioritize enrollment for the DMV.

I know New Jersey, as you rightly mentioned, has a high passport enrollment rate.

So passports are a sufficient alternative.

So they should not have anything to worry about when going through the airport.

So they should be OK.

But I do want to underscore that it is important for the public, for the aviation security space and for the broader transportation security space for everyone to go out and get the real ID.

I'm thinking about the fact that, you know, we have mobile credentials now.

We have digital IDs.

It has taken 20 years for this law to now be implemented.

Are we at risk of this technology already being outdated and not providing the security that it was intended to?

You know, we're focused on enforcement, and I really think that this makes us safer and more secure and really brings enhanced identity and document integrity.

As you mentioned, a mobile identity, mobile security, driver's licenses are, of course, becoming more and more popular.

And there are a lot of questions about whether they're real ID compliant or not.

And I would just urge if you have any questions or concerns ahead of travel and you have a mobile driver's license to please engage and double check with your local state DMV or check on TSA.gov if you have any more questions.

Is the TSA planning to put more agents on the ground in these next couple of weeks for folks who may have questions or for delays and people who are still, you know, unaware that this has been rolled out?

Yes, so we are prepared.

I will say I don't want to get into any sort of operational planning for kind of footprint security purposes, but we are prepared.

We have been proactively, proactively planning, and we really don't anticipate significant issues.

If you have a real ID or a sufficient alternative, you'll be able to get through the checkpoint uninterrupted.

If you have a noncompliant state DMV ID, excuse me, I want to underscore this, you will be okay.

You will get through checkpoint.

It just may be some additional screening measures that you may be susceptible to and in turn some additional time.

So really want folks to please plan accordingly, leave some additional time, especially if you have a noncompliant state form of ID.

You know, obviously here in New Jersey, Newark Airport has been experiencing some issues not related to real ID, but with the FAA, what's your message for folks who are already anticipating wait times, long delays and things like that now coinciding with this new ID rolling out?

So we, of course, as you mentioned correctly, FAA is not in air traffic controls or not in TSA's purview.

However, we are focused on real ID enforcement.

We work hand in glove also with our federal partners like the FAA, and we are confident.

What I will say to travelers is as always to be patient, be respectful, and to please leave plenty of time before travel ahead, particularly of a busy summer travel season.

Yeah.

Busy week at the TSA for you all.

Adam Stahl, senior official performing the duties of deputy administrator.

Adam, thanks so much.

Thank you, ma'am.

It was a tense scene outside Newark's Delaney Hall early this morning where Mayor Ras Baraka brought along members of his administration to create a barricade demanding entry into the building.

That's after his fire code inspectors were denied access.

As we reported on Monday, ICE confirmed Delaney Hall began housing immigrant detainees on May 1st, even though the city and courts haven't given approvals for permits to operate.

Now the mayor says city attorneys are filing an injunction to stop them.

Raven Santana reports.

You can't just go in a building and open it up without a certificate of occupancy.

You can't say I have a certificate of occupancy for 20 years ago without doing any inspections.

You can't change things or fix things.

And if you do all of that, even if you say you didn't do that, we have a right to check.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, alongside his team and local advocates, gathered at the entrance of Delaney Hall Immigration Detention Center demanding answers after fire and code enforcement officials were blocked from entering the facility.

The 1,000 bed facility is owned by the private prison company GEO Group, which entered into a 15-year, $1 billion contract with ICE in February.

ICE don't have a long-term lease with these folks, so GEO is completely responsible.

They're hiding behind ICE right now.

Keep telling our folks that ICE has to give us permission to get in, which is completely not true.

The fire officials can go into any building anytime they want to do any inspections.

They're not allowing them in.

I wasn't there here yesterday.

The fire officials and UCC code officials were here yesterday.

They wouldn't let them in, so now I'm here today.

ICE confirmed to NJ Spotlight News that Delaney Hall has been housing detainees as of May 1st, a month ahead of schedule, but the Federal Immigration Agency did not confirm the number of people currently held inside, saying in a statement that the number constantly changes as detainees transfer in and out on a recurring basis, adding ICE leverages a diverse detention network, including private facilities, to ensure all aliens reside in safe, secure and humane environments during their time in ICE custody.

Similar to the Elizabeth Detention Center, which is just less than seven miles down the road, this is a very industrial site that if you did not know the location, you wouldn't even know that exists, and that's very purposeful.

ICE specifically has immigration detention centers away from where people live, out of sight, out of mind type of thing.

Jenny Garcia, an advocate and senior communications associate with Detention Watch Network, raised concerns about the health risks linked to the detention center's location.

Garcia, whose cousin was previously detained by ICE, stressed that the site's surroundings add another layer of risk for those being held inside.

The folks that are watching this cannot smell the rancid smell that is really out here, with trucks passing by, with the smell of sewage around, and not only are the conditions inside the detention center, but we understand that this area of Newark, in the Ironbound, is called the toxic corridor for a reason, and it's not safe for people to be breathing this air, and not only for the people that are going to be detained at Delaney Hall, but also the workers as well.

We had a story yesterday of a young man who married a woman who they were going through the process to, you know, become citizens of the United States.

They went to the immigration office, and while they was in the immigration office, ICE grabbed her and detained her and put her in this property.

We're trying to verify that.

It's one of the reasons that we are down here.

While it remains unclear who is currently being held at Delaney Hall, Baraka says the company does not have the necessary permits to operate the facility, leaving little to no transparency.

GeoGroup disputes this, saying it has a valid certificate of occupancy and is in compliance with all health and safety requirements.

The city has sued the prison company over the permits.

We're going to give them a citation today.

We're giving them a citation for not allowing us in yesterday, and we're giving them a citation for not allowing us in today.

We also gave them a citation for blocking the fence up while we're right there.

So we're going to give them 3 citations today, and give it to the GeoGroup and have them respond.

I think ICE right now not responding to us is a little cowardice.

They need to step up and answer to what's happening here.

The GeoGroup called the mayor's actions today a publicity stunt and an attempt to interfere with federal immigration enforcement, adding in a statement, "The mayor and city officials have been advised multiple times, both directly and in court proceedings, that access to all federal immigration processing centers is governed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The mayor has chosen to blatantly ignore these established processes to advance his political agenda and in doing so has put the safety and security of our employees at risk and demonstrated a complete disregard for the safety and the individuals housed at the facility."

DPW trucks are across the street.

Did you have plans to barricade this area?

I don't know.

We're thinking about it.

We're thinking about it.

And honestly, I don't want to put DPW workers at risk because these people are dangerous people.

So if anybody's going to block it, I will.

The mayor is hoping he won't need to barricade the building, but in the meantime is asking for a judge to rule on the city's request to allow inspectors, local fire and safety officials into the building.

For NJ Spotlight News, I'm Raven Santana.

With cuts to Medicaid on the federal chomping block, local advocates are speaking up, urging Congress to protect funding and access to the critical social service program that roughly 2 million New Jerseyans rely on for health care, including one out of every three children here.

At a Statehouse press conference today, they reminded federal lawmakers cuts to Medicaid will affect the most vulnerable.

Ted Goldberg reports.

Slashing Medicaid is not fiscally responsible.

It's a moral failure.

It says billionaires deserve bigger yachts more than my sons deserve a future.

Teresa Luoni is the mother of two autistic boys and says cuts to Medicaid would be devastating for her family.

Medicaid is not just a program to us.

It's our lifeline.

It provides the therapies that help my sons eventually speak a word, hold my hand or look into my eyes.

Without these services, my boys cannot continue to grow into the independent, productive citizens they are capable of becoming.

NJ Family Care is how New Jersey manages Medicaid, providing services to one in five people statewide.

Advocates say if Congress removes funding from Medicaid, it will make life a lot harder for vulnerable people.

My seniors may have to go without medication because Medicare is going to be cut.

Many of the elders my providers serve are not eligible for other types of insurance.

Without Medicaid, it will either be private pay or no care.

90% or more of the children and youth living in foster care in New Jersey are on Medicaid.

Congress is considering cutting more than a trillion dollars in spending over the next 10 years.

Congressman Tom Kaine Jr. says protecting Medicaid, Social Security and Medicare is a sacred task that we have.

We need to ensure that we also get out the waste, the fraud and the abuse that's endemic all too often in government spending right now.

And we can do both.

Fellow Republican Jeff Van Drew added, "Let me be clear.

I will never support cuts to Medicaid, Medicare or Social Security that are not specifically aimed at reducing waste, fraud or abuse.

These programs are vital to the people I represent and must be protected.

But we need real reform."

There is simply no way to achieve such dramatic savings without drastic and painful cuts to New Jersey's Medicaid and SNAP programs.

Sarah Adelman leads New Jersey's Department of Human Services, which manages NJ Family Care.

She told the Senate Budget Committee what would happen if federal funding is slashed.

We will have to take a hard look at things like who is eligible, what benefits are provided and how we reimburse providers for services.

State Senate Republicans didn't publicly support the cuts, but they asked if this was a chance to reduce spending.

Are we doing everything we can to make sure we're controlling costs?

Have we looked at those audits?

Have we made sure that we've expanded and we're taking into account all sources of income?

These are things that we took a serious look at.

We have enabled automated Department of Labor income verification data over the past years.

And then on top of that, we continue to use verified current income using Equifax.

Senator Michael Testa also questioned Adelman over Cover All Kids, a state initiative that provides health care to all children regardless of immigration status.

We are really proud that New Jersey is a state that provides universal access to affordable, accessible, high quality health care for all children.

That's a value that we hope the budget process will continue to support.

Republican Congressman Chris Smith also voted for the cost cutting budget, while all of New Jersey's Democrats voted against it.

The GOP has a seven member edge in the House, so every vote will count when it comes to possible cuts.

At the Statehouse, I'm Ted Goldberg, NJ Spotlight News.

Well, we're continuing our series looking at each of the gubernatorial candidates and their campaign priorities as we inch closer to the June 10th primary election.

Tonight, a deeper dive on Republican candidate Bill Spadea.

The longtime conservative radio host is also a former congressional candidate who became a strong supporter of President Trump during his first term, then changed his position in 2021 before coming back around to the president's camp for his re-election bid last year.

Senior political correspondent David Cruz has more.

I am qualified, willing, ready and energized to be your governor.

Bill Spadea, on leave from his morning show on NJ 101.5, has been angling for this day for many years, say most people who watch this sort of thing.

On radio and TV, Spadea's leaned into his audience with a Fox News adjacent style, turning Trumpier along with them, even having Trump on his radio show, as he will frequently remind you.

As you know, David, I've had him on my radio show a few times.

We've had some great conversations, both publicly and privately.

I am the only candidate that has been with him since the escalator.

Sure, I've been critical of a few things, and I brought that to the president's attention.

We've talked about some of the areas where we disagreed right on my radio show.

It's still unclear what Trump will do in this primary.

Ashley Koning of the Eagleton Polling Institute says their research shows Republican voters split on whether Trump would sway their votes for one candidate or another.

I also think the GOP with the New Jersey needs to have a reckoning of whether or not they're going to go along with the Trump administration and this Trump brand of Republicanism.

Typically, historically, it really hasn't worked as well in New Jersey.

When we saw Chitorelli gaining ground on Murphy in 2021, that really came from talking about bread and butter, common sense, economic issues, not from when he was deciding whether or not to embrace Trump that previous summer.

But as a morning radio guy, Spadea is also proficient at pushing buttons, particularly when it comes to issues of immigration, race and diversity, particularly in front of contrary crowds.

The first thing I would do is I'm going to end diversity, equity and inclusion for contracts and hiring.

That's number one.

And the reason it doesn't work.

Democrats have a long history of racism, institutional racism.

And it was Martin Luther King and it was the Republicans who said that we've got to do something about this.

And they did.

Red meat for the base for sure, especially if you're counting on a base of MAGA supporters.

Getting them to come out in a non-Trump election year has proven to be difficult, though.

The most recent Eagleton poll that shows Chitorelli with a 30 point lead won't help.

Spadea so far has been seen as a as a bomb thrower.

He's a very genial guy.

I think he's a very likable guy.

But I don't necessarily think that Republican voters see him as a credible alternative to Chitorelli.

They see Chitorelli as somebody who can win.

And so Spadea has got to show that he can be that person, too.

Spadea, Chitorelli and John Bramnick will be part of a live NJ Decides 2020.

Five conversation with the Republican candidates for governor.

That's Wednesday night on NJ PBS for TV pro like Spadea.

Maybe an opportunity to create a new narrative or reinforce the one that's gotten him this far.

I'm David Cruz, NJ Spotlight News.

And make sure you tune in tomorrow night live right here on NJ PBS, which will be the first of two conversations with the gubernatorial candidates.

It's in partnership with WNYC Radio, whose morning host, Michael Hill, will join with senior political correspondent David Cruz to moderate the Republican conversation.

Again, that's Wednesday, May 7th, beginning at 7 p.m. airing here and on WNYC Radio.

Also streaming live on our NJ Spotlight News YouTube channel.

That's going to do it for us tonight.

But before we go, a reminder, you can download our podcast wherever you listen and watch us anytime by subscribing to the NJ Spotlight News YouTube channel.

Plus, you can follow us on Instagram and Blue Sky to stay up to date on all the state's big headlines.

I'm Brianna Vannozzi.

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

Have a great evening.

We'll see you right back here tomorrow.

New Jersey Education Association.

Making public schools great for every child.

For W.J.

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.

Have some water.

Look at these kids.

What do you see?

I see myself.

I became an ESL teacher to give my students what I wanted when I came to this country.

The opportunity to learn, to dream, to achieve.

A chance to belong and to be an American.

My name is Julia Toriani Crompton, and I'm proud to be an NJEA member.

NJM Insurance Group has been part of New Jersey for over a century.

We support our communities through NJM's corporate giving program, supporting arts and culture-related and non-profit organizations that serve to improve the lives of children, rebuild communities, and help to create a new generation of safe drivers.

We're proud to be part of New Jersey.

NJM.

We've got New Jersey covered.

Whatever your cancer journey, there's one place in New Jersey where our discoveries become your care.

You'll have access to advanced treatments, including clinical trials, thanks to our renowned scientists and multidisciplinary teams at New Jersey's only NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center.

The one world-class cancer program that's close to home.

RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute.

Let's beat cancer together.

[music]