By no means worry: Phil Murphy, defender of the downtrodden, is right here!
Embattled New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy lately prompt he and his taxpayer-funded safety element might have thwarted Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers from arresting unlawful immigrants congregating close to his $10 million Middletown mansion.
“There was a time when ICE was simply randomly displaying up on road corners and apprehending … brothers and sisters from the immigrant group,” Murphy mentioned in press convention held a day after President Trump’s election victory.
He claimed he caught wind of a neighborhood that was “at-risk” of an immigration enforcement sweep, and that he put himself — and his New Jersey State Police bodyguards — between authorities and unlawful migrants.
“I simply went there one night time with my [security] element and simply hung on the market,” he mentioned, including that federal brokers by no means confirmed up.
“Whether or not that scared them off or not I don’t know, but it surely’s an instance of a small step that we’re keen to attempt something if it’s opposite to our values,” he mentioned.
In the identical information convention, Murphy vowed the Backyard State would “struggle to the dying” to impede Trump’s unlawful immigration crackdown, whereas leaving the door open a hair’s breadth by promising to grab “frequent floor” ought to a chance come up.
The boast is one other occasion of the second-term Democrat participating in anti-ICE puffery to curry favor with supporters.
He’s at the moment underneath hearth after he prompt final week that he was harboring an unlawful immigrant his house.
The admission got here throughout an interview at a public discussion board at at Montclair State College, the place he openly dared feds to “come and get her” to applause from the viewers.
His reps tried to stroll again his feedback, which drew swift condemnation from political adversaries, in addition to the eye of Trump’s border czar Tom Homan, who mentioned on Fox Information’ “Hannity” Monday that prosecution might be on the desk.
“If he’s knowingly harboring and concealing an unlawful alien, that’s a violation of Title 8, United States Code 1324. I’ll search prosecution or the secretary will search prosecution,” Homan mentioned.
“Possibly he’s bluffing. If he’s not, we’ll take care of that,” Homan added. “It’s a silly factor what he mentioned, as a result of I bought observe of it, received’t let it go, will look into it.”
Murphy’s workplace didn’t reply to The Put up’s request for remark.
Further reporting by Carl Campanile.
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