New Jersey’s Democrat governor challenged federal authorities to come get an illegal immigrant whom he appeared to say he was harboring inside his garage.
Gov. Phil Murphy made the comments while speaking with a progressive activist group at Montclair State University in Montclair on Saturday.
‘This should be disqualifying as a governor.’
“There is someone in our broader universe whose immigration status is not yet at the point that they are trying to get it to, and we said, ‘You know what? Let’s have her live at our house above our garage,'” said Murphy at the event.
“And good luck to the feds coming in to try to get her,” he added.
Murphy has previously forbidden state and local law enforcement to cooperate with deportation and immigration enforcement in the state. The Trump administration has warned that it would seek legal action against state officials who got in the way of enforcing immigration law.
Video of the comments was circulated on social media, where Murphy was excoriated by critics.
“He’s a public official who is daring the federal government. This should be disqualifying as a governor,” responded author Adam Coleman.
“Phil Murphy realizing his live-in maid being illegal is politically useful,” joked Rob Schmitt of Newsmax.
“Phil Murphy just implicated himself in a CRIME! Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time. It’s time for @icegov to pay him a visit,” said former Mayor Mario Kranjac.
Murphy was vague about the immigration status of the person, who, if she exists, could be an illegal alien or a person with temporary immigration status. Harboring an illegal alien is a crime and may be punishable by 10 years in prison.
In 2019 Murphy signed legislation allowing illegal immigrants to obtain a driver’s license in New Jersey.
“This new law will allow residents the opportunity to obtain driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status and keep our roads safe,” Murphy posted on social media, quoting a law enforcement officer.
Here’s the video of his comments:
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