TRENTON, N.J. — President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming border czar, Tom Homan, issued a stark warning to sanctuary city leaders, including New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, over their efforts to block federal immigration enforcement.
Homan, speaking during a visit to the southern border on Tuesday, reaffirmed plans for mass deportations and accused officials in sanctuary jurisdictions of potentially violating federal law. “It is a felony to knowingly harbor and conceal illegal immigrants from immigration authorities. Don’t test us,” Homan said.
Gov. Murphy, a staunch advocate of New Jersey’s sanctuary state policies, recently vowed to resist federal immigration enforcement efforts, declaring, “We will fight to the death [to protect our immigrant communities].” New Jersey law limits cooperation between local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), sparking criticism from opponents who argue the policies shield individuals with final deportation orders.
Homan warned that politicians like Murphy could face legal consequences if they obstruct federal immigration operations. “Harboring a fugitive is a federal crime,” Homan emphasized, citing provisions of U.S. law that criminalize efforts to protect individuals from deportation.
New Jersey officials have not responded directly to Homan’s remarks, but previous court rulings have upheld the rights of states and cities to set their own policies on local law enforcement’s role in federal immigration matters. The federal government, however, retains exclusive authority over immigration enforcement and Homan’s comments, directed at governors like Murphy invokes federal criminal laws against harboring illegal alien fugitives.
The escalating standoff underscores the tension between federal and state officials as Trump’s incoming administration seeks to crack down on sanctuary jurisdictions.