New Jersey Gov. Murphy Declines Additional Illegal Immigrants Despite Sanctuary State Pledge

In a recent revelation that may seem ironic to some, New Jersey’s Democratic Governor Phil Murphy stated that New Jersey can no longer accommodate more illegal immigrants, despite his 2017 campaign pledge to transform the entire state into a “sanctuary state.”

This comes in response to the Biden administration’s announcement, which highlighted New Jersey’s Atlantic City International Airport as one among eleven other locations slated to receive a substantial influx of immigrants to ease the overwhelming numbers that have recently entered New York City, Breitbart reports.

Governor Murphy expressed his reservations during a News 12 segment, “Ask Gov. Murphy,” on Aug 31.

He stated, “I don’t see any scenario where we’re going to be able to take in a program in Atlantic City or frankly elsewhere in the state.”

Murphy further elaborated on the logistical challenges, noting, “You need scale, enormous amount of federal support, resources that go beyond anything that we can afford. Putting everything else aside, I just don’t see it. I would suspect that that will continue to be the case.”

Highlighting the lack of communication, Murphy also mentioned that the Biden administration hadn’t consulted him regarding this decision and revealed that some immigrants had already entered New Jersey without proper authorization.

While campaigning in 2017, Governor Murphy was a vocal advocate for making New Jersey a “sanctuary state.”

Contrasting his stance, his opponent, Lieutenant Gov. Kim Guadagno, opposed sanctuary policies, arguing that they posed risks to communities and fostered law-breaking.

Murphy had countered her views, stating that sanctuary policies are about “inclusiveness,” and that embracing immigrants was a reflection of “the goodness of America” and a step toward rectifying the “nation’s moral compass.”

However, present circumstances reveal a state grappling with the practicalities of such policies.

Both Democratic and Republican officials from Atlantic County, including the mayors of Egg Harbor Township and Atlantic City, have voiced concerns over the lack of resources and financial means to support a significant increase in immigrants.

Echoing this sentiment, Egg Harbor Republican Mayor Laura Pfrommer commented, “Egg Harbor Township does not have the capacity to handle this. We do not have the social service programs to handle this. Our residents are scared of this.”

On a similar note, Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. emphasized, “What you see here is people crossing party lines and putting the greater good above the party.”

Vince Polistina, a Republican state Senator, expressed a firm stance against the idea, asserting, “We immediately said hell no.”

Furthermore, Dennis Levinson, the Republican Atlantic County Executive, added, “All I can say is that I will do my best to prevent this from happening. We can’t afford it. We’re a poor county. We’re one of the poorest counties in New Jersey. It’s not a burden I can put on our taxpayers.”

Adding to the chorus of voices opposing the Biden administration’s plan, the Atlantic County Mayors Association, with representatives from both major political parties, also expressed their dissent.

The Association’s President and Absecon Mayor, Kim Horton, emphasized the need for bipartisan immigration solutions, stating, “Lawmakers need to work together to make comprehensive immigration policies that protect our towns and communities. I’m happy that we are collectively up here, Democrats, Republicans, independents. We are a united front.”

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