TOMS RIVER, NJ – New Jersey governor Phil Murphy is delusional. That’s the sentiment today from Ocean County legislators representing New Jersey’s 10th District after the governor said New Jersey is prepared to accept illegal migrants from Texas and Florida.
New Jersey, under Governor Phil Murphy is a self-described immigrant Sanctuary State and the governor has said the state is ready to start taking busloads of immigrants sent from Texas and Florida to sanctuary states around the country.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Texas governor Greg Abbott have both sent busloads of immigrants north to destinations such as Washington DC, New York City, and Martha’s Vineyard.
Governor Phil Murphy and New Jersey could be the next sanctuary state targeted by those governors. Governor Murphy has been extremely critical of Texas and Florida and has targeted businesses in those states to relocate to New Jersey, however unsuccessful.
When asked if New Jersey was prepared to take in these migrants, the governor said “Are we prepared? Yes, we absolutely are prepared. We will treat these folks as human beings [not] political pawns, which is how they’re being treated in Florida and Texas right now.”
This week, Senator Jim Holzapfel, Assemblyman Greg McGuckin, and Assemblyman John Catalano said Governor Murphy is delusional if he thinks New Jersey is “prepared” to accept illegal immigrants that might be transported from other states when his administration has failed to deliver basic government services to New Jersey residents.
“Unemployment is still a mess, the MVC remains broken, and good luck getting through on the phone to file for your ANCHOR rebate,” said Holzapfel. “Frankly, the Murphy administration hasn’t even proven itself prepared to serve New Jerseyans. Instead of fixing these broken government services, Governor Murphy has focused on turning New Jersey into an expensive sanctuary state while our families, seniors, and children are left behind.”
New Jersey became a sanctuary State 2019 when Governor Phil Murphy announced the Immigrant trust directive which prohibits state, county, and local law enforcement agencies from cooperating with federal authorities to enforce immigration laws.
“Governor Murphy showed us in his budget what it costs to be a sanctuary state,” said McGuckin. “He’s funding expensive cash payments and free health care for illegals while cutting state aid to schools, jacking up health care costs for teachers and first responders, and driving up property taxes. There’s no sanctuary for New Jersey taxpayers in Phil Murphy’s sanctuary state.”
After funding $2,000 payments to illegal immigrants last year, Governor Murphy announced in July that he’ll dedicate another $53 million in federal pandemic relief funds to make payments of $500 to illegal immigrants this year, McGuckin said in a statement today.
“Governor Murphy is handing out free health care like lollipops to illegal immigrants while teachers, police officers, and firefighters are getting hit with massive premium increases that few can afford,” added Catalano. “It’s another example of this administration bending over backward for lawbreakers while putting the burden on New Jerseyans who play by the rules and pay the bills.”
Ocean County Joint Base MDL could be used to house large groups of migrants and the same way it was used to house a large group of Afghanistan refugees after the botched withdrawal from that country by President Joe Biden.