New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy escalates state-federal tension by ordering state police to cease cooperation with ICE on immigration enforcement, raising serious questions about constitutional authority.
At a Glance
- Governor Murphy directs New Jersey state police to suspend collaboration with ICE, particularly regarding administrative warrants
- State police are instructed not to treat ICE warrants as “NCIC Hits” or alert federal authorities when encountering individuals on the list
- The directive builds on New Jersey’s 2018 Immigrant Trust Directive limiting local police cooperation with federal immigration authorities
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba has emphasized that federal executive orders must be followed in New Jersey
- The policy comes amid controversy over Murphy’s past statements about harboring illegal immigrants
Murphy Orders Halt to ICE Cooperation
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has directed state police to stop cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), marking a significant escalation in the ongoing tension between state and federal immigration enforcement policies. The directive, backed by Attorney General Matt Platkin, specifically targets administrative warrants issued by ICE that were recently added to the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database.
Colonel Patrick Callahan of the New Jersey State Police communicated this policy through an internal memo, instructing officers not to treat these administrative warrants as “NCIC Hits.” The memo explicitly prohibits officers from notifying ICE when they encounter individuals with outstanding administrative warrants and bars them from making arrests based solely on these warrants.
Building on Previous Immigration Policies
This latest directive builds upon New Jersey’s 2018 Immigrant Trust Directive, which already established limitations on local law enforcement’s involvement in federal immigration enforcement.
The policy comes in direct response to the Trump administration’s addition of over 27,000 “Outstanding Administrative Warrants for Removal” to the FBI’s NCIC database, which would normally alert local law enforcement to individuals wanted by federal authorities.
“Taking law enforcement action by arresting a subject based solely on an ‘Outstanding Administrative Warrant’ would violate the Attorney General’s Immigration Trust Directive”, said Colonel Patrick Callahan of the New Jersey State Police.
The directive emphasizes that these warrants should not be broadcast as “NCIC Hits,” and officers must strictly comply with the policy to avoid disciplinary or legal consequences. Supporters argue the policy is necessary to maintain community trust and public safety, while critics view it as a rejection of lawful federal immigration enforcement efforts.
Federal-State Conflict Intensifies
U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, Alina Habba, has criticized the directive, emphasizing the supremacy of federal executive orders. This conflict raises fundamental constitutional questions about state autonomy versus federal authority, particularly in immigration enforcement, which traditionally falls under federal jurisdiction.
“Let me be clear: Executive Orders will be followed and enforced in the State of New Jersey.”, said U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Alina Habba.
New Jersey’s stance directly challenges federal authority and coincides with immigration emerging as a key issue in the 2024 presidential campaign. The directive effectively instructs state law enforcement to ignore federal alerts in the NCIC system if they’re based solely on administrative immigration warrants, setting the stage for a potential legal showdown.
Murphy’s Controversial Immigration History
This policy decision comes amid controversy surrounding Governor Murphy’s past comments about illegal immigrants. Recently, Murphy appeared to suggest that he housed an illegal immigrant on his property, leading to criticism and scrutiny from Trump border czar Tom Homan, who suggested such actions could potentially violate federal immigration law.
“There was a time when ICE was just randomly showing up on street corners and apprehending … brothers and sisters from the immigrant community,” Murphy said in a press conference held a day after President Trump’s election victory.
Murphy has previously boasted about personally intervening to prevent what he believed was an impending ICE enforcement action in his neighborhood. “I just went there one night with my [security] detail and just hung out there,” he stated, adding that federal agents never appeared. The governor has consistently positioned New Jersey as opposing federal immigration crackdowns.
