Make the Road NJ hosts Jersey City rally where activists & elected vow to fight Trump

Make the Road New Jersey hosted a rally in Jersey City this afternoon where activists and electeds alike vowed to fight President-elect Donald Trump (R) in light of him being elected to a second term on Tuesday.

By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View

“We will start today, and we’ll go out, and we will talk to everybody about the country we want to build together,” Make the Road NJ Deputy Director Nedia Morsy explained.

“Today, we’re going to start building the community,” she added in Spanish.

New Jersey Working Families Alliance Executive Director Antoinette Miles noted that while Election Day didn’t end the way they had hoped, now is not the time to give up.

“Donald Trump and his movement have won the presidency. Republicans have flipped the Senate, and we’re still counting votes with control of the House (of Representatives) up in the air,” she explained.

“We knew that the result on Election Day was not where our organizing would have ended. Even though we are entering a darker time and a political crisis, we are not waiting for 2025 to draw the line in the sand against Donald Trump: Even though he is in, it doesn’t mean we are powerless!”

Miles continued that Democrats put up paltry numbers for Harris compared to prior presidential races, with Trump gaining 18 points in Hudson County thanks to Hispanic voters in North Hudson.

Despite bad showings throughout the Garden State, Miles also stated that referendums to raise the minimum wage passed in red states.

“We need to resist a push to the (political) center as corporate power and corporate greed go unchecked in our community,” Miles declared.

“We have to play the long game and rebuild the coalition and win folks back, that includes Black men, that includes Latinos, that also includes Arabs, Muslims, and Jews and the movement for peace in Palestine.”

New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin said New Jersey took a stand against Trump during his first term, which was between 2017 and 2020, as he encouraged the hundreds in attendance not to lose hope.

“I know this was a tough week for a lot of folks in this state. We are a nation built on the bedrock of our Constitution. Those laws … give people rights. Those rights don’t change depending on who wins an election,” he began.

“We have been in difficult moments before. We were here eight years ago. A lot of us were at events like this,” he added, noting that while some may feel down and out, “77 percent of the lawsuits filed against the Trump Administration were successful!”

Platkin noted those court actions protected hundreds of thousands of children of undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers, along with women’s rights.

“As the people’s lawyer, I have to protect your rights. If the federal government wants to undermine your rights, use the power of the highest office in this land to violate laws, we will be there for you!” he exclaimed.

He also acknowledged that Trump won fair and square and the peaceful transfer of power is very important.

U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez (D-8), who was re-elected convincingly on Tuesday despite a better than usual showing for Republicans including his opponent, vowed to fight for his constituents no matter what.

“We’ve seen this show before, We know it will set back for the things we’ve been fighting for. Together, we can take on this fight. On the days that we feel down, it’s those days when we need to come together!”

Menendez noted that 40 percent of his constituents in the 8th District are immigrants, reminding everyone that he was working with the current administration to shut down the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Elizabeth.

“If they come for your family, it will be over my dead body!” he exclaimed.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a Democratic candidate for governor, noted millions of immigrants came to the United States through Ellis Island by the Statue of Liberty.

“Many millions of immigrants around this country developed the America we know today,” he recalled.

Baraka noted the need to fight for the rights of workers and undocumented immigrants needs to be unified with movements for affordable housing, increasing wages, women’s rights, criminal justice reform, Black Lives Matter, and the environment.

“They want to get rid of everyone! Not just those who broke the laws!” he proclaimed.

State Senator Raj Mukherji (D-32) said the legislature and Gov. Phil Murphy (D) successfully fought to protect immigrants and women’s rights in New Jersey.

“Moments like this week, they test our resolve. We cannot stop fighting. We’ve been here before. It gives us reason to feel encouraged even if it doesn’t feel like it this week,” he declared.

“We won’t stop fighting! We won’t stop fighting for human rights! We won’t stop fighting for democracy!” he exclaimed in Spanish, commending the press on hand as he mentioned that Trump would probably go after the Fourth Estate a great deal.

Zellie Thomas, an organizer for BLM Paterson led a chant of “Black lives! Matter!”

“Our community will always stand in solidarity with you!” he declared to applause.

“They want to say climate change isn’t real! But you see all these forest fires popping up in NJ. You smell that smoke! The planet is in danger.”

Assemblywoman Jessica Ramirez (D-32) and Ward E Councilman James Solomon, a candidate for mayor, also vowed not to relent.

“We’re here to stand up. We are demanding dignity. Reproductive rights are human rights. We will not let our tax dollars go to corporate greed. We will not let our democracy crumble to an autocratic leader! This good work starts now!” Ramirez exclaimed.

“Raise your hand if you’re feeling angry. We’re all feeling that way today. He is a guy who hurts others to help himself. He hurts those who have nothing wrong,” he noted about Trump.

Teaneck Mayor Michael Pagan, who has endorsed Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop (he didn’t attend due to a birthday celebration for his daughter) for governor), said “it is even more important than ever that we fight harder.

After other speeches, the protesters marched around the waterfront chanting against Trump.

The entire event, which lasted a little under two hours, can be viewed here.