Trenton, New Jersey. Tom Homan, the incoming border czar for President-elect Donald Trump, sent a strong warning to sanctuary city leaders, including New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, for their attempts to thwart federal immigration enforcement.
Speaking Tuesday while on a visit to the southern border, Homan accused officials in sanctuary areas of possibly breaking federal law and reiterated intentions for mass deportations. Knowingly harboring and hiding illegal aliens from immigration officials is a felony. “Don’t put us to the test,” Homan added.
A strong supporter of New Jersey’s sanctuary state laws, Governor Murphy recently declared, “We will fight to the death [to protect our immigrant communities]” in an effort to thwart federal immigration enforcement efforts. Opponents claim the regulations protect people with final deportation orders, and New Jersey law restricts collaboration between local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Homan cautioned that obstruction of federal immigration operations by legislators like Murphy might have legal repercussions. Homan underlined that harboring a fugitive is a federal offense, referencing parts of US law that make attempts to shield people from deportation illegal.
Although Homan’s comments have not received a formal response from New Jersey officials, prior court decisions have supported states’ and municipalities’ autonomy to establish their own rules on the role of local law enforcement in federal immigration cases. However, Homan’s remarks against governors like Murphy cite federal criminal laws that prohibit harboring illegal alien fugitives, and the federal government still has sole responsibility over immigration enforcement.
As Trump’s incoming administration looks to crack down on sanctuary jurisdictions, the growing confrontation highlights the divide between federal and state officials.
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