NEWARK, N.J. – Gov. Phil Murphy sharply criticized federal immigration detention practices during a live radio appearance, calling the system “the whole thing sucks” and arguing that federal authorities are increasingly targeting immigrants with no criminal record.
Responding to a caller describing poor conditions for visitors at Delaney Hall — a privately run immigration detention facility in Newark — Murphy said his administration had “sued like heck” to block the use of private detention centers in New Jersey but had not prevailed in court.
“The whole thing sucks — to use a diplomatic word,” Murphy said. “We’ve sued like heck to try to prevent these things from going into private hands, and unfortunately, so far, we have not prevailed.”
Murphy cited federal data showing that the number of people in ICE custody without criminal records now exceeds those with prior convictions.
He said New Jersey supports law enforcement actions against violent or repeat offenders but opposes what he called a “wave” of arrests based solely on immigration status.
“If you’re going after bad guys, we have no problem with that,” Murphy said. “But to take out folks who have no reason to be targeted except for their immigration status doesn’t contribute to a safer state.”
Murphy defended the state’s Immigrant Trust Directive, which bars local police from questioning individuals about immigration status when they report crimes, saying it has helped make New Jersey “the number one safest state in America.”
He emphasized that his administration focuses on public safety, not immigration enforcement:
“We fight crime — that’s what we’re here for,” Murphy said. “Yes, we need immigration reform, secure borders, smart visa processes — enlightened, strict but empathetic. But this sort of mess is not who we are as a country.”
Murphy added he would consider visiting Delaney Hall “if something tangible could come from it,” but stressed that his priority was finding actionable solutions rather than symbolic gestures.