New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) is officially under federal investigation.
On Thursday night, during an explosive appearance on Fox News’ Hannity, acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Alina Habba, revealed that her office has launched a formal probe into both Gov. Murphy and state Attorney General Matthew Platkin. The reason? Their instructions to law enforcement officers across New Jersey to ignore federal immigration warrants and refuse cooperation with agencies like ICE.
Yes, you read that correctly. New Jersey’s top leadership has allegedly told law enforcement not to assist federal immigration officials—even in cases where illegal immigrants are subject to lawful deportation orders.
Habba didn’t hold back. She told host Sean Hannity that Gov. Murphy has a list of “do’s and don’ts” posted right on his website—guidelines that she says openly defy federal law. These instructions, aimed at local law enforcement, allegedly discourage cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when dealing with individuals who have been through the court system and are under valid deportation orders.
“These are not random street arrests,” Habba explained. “These are individuals who went through due process, who were found to be unlawfully present in the U.S., and who are now subject to deportation under federal law. And Murphy is telling officers to ignore those court orders.”
The orders reportedly extend beyond ICE. According to Habba, the state attorney general has also instructed police to avoid working with the FBI, DEA, and other federal agencies—essentially handcuffing those tasked with keeping New Jersey communities safe.
“This is not only irresponsible, it’s illegal,” Habba said.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office isn’t waiting around.
Habba told Hannity, “I have instructed my office today to open an investigation into Gov. Murphy… and Attorney General Platkin. They have instructed state police not to assist federal law enforcement. That will no longer stand.”
This marks a dramatic escalation in the growing standoff between the Biden-aligned Democrat leadership in blue states and federal authorities trying to enforce immigration law.
New Jersey is one of several so-called sanctuary states, where Democrat officials have made it a policy to obstruct or ignore ICE detainer requests. These states have increasingly become havens for individuals who are in the country illegally—even those with criminal records or final deportation orders.
Critics argue that these policies put politics over public safety and violate the constitutional principle that federal law is the supreme law of the land.
Gov. Murphy has made his stance clear. He has long championed New Jersey as a “welcoming state” for illegal immigrants, and has worked to expand sanctuary policies since taking office.
But now, that approach may come at a steep cost.
This investigation could have major implications—not just for Murphy and Platkin, but for how sanctuary policies are implemented across the country.
If federal prosecutors find that state leaders willfully obstructed immigration enforcement or violated federal law, there could be legal consequences, including the potential loss of federal funding, criminal referrals, or civil litigation.
Republicans have long criticized the Biden administration and blue state governors for enabling illegal immigration and ignoring the rule of law. This investigation is the first major pushback under a reinvigorated Justice Department that’s increasingly aligned with President Trump’s America First agenda.
The days of ignoring federal immigration law may be coming to an end in New Jersey.
Alina Habba’s investigation sends a strong message: state leaders don’t get to pick and choose which laws they obey—especially when it puts public safety at risk.
We’ll be watching closely as this story develops. Stay tuned for updates.
