Gov. Murphy vetoes immigrant protection bills, angering activists

Gov. Phil Murphy said one of the bills would have attracted judicial scrutiny and the other might have conflicted with federal law.

By: Sophie Nieto-Munoz

Outlets: New Jersey Monitor

Published: January 20, 2026

Words: 904

Last Updated: 1 month ago

Body Text Preview

Gov. Phil Murphy, who made protecting immigrants a pillar of his first campaign for governor, used some of his final hours in office Tuesday to veto two sweeping bills designed to expand migrant rights.

The bills left unsigned would have written the attorney general’s 2018 Immigrant Trust Directive into law — the order restricts when local, county, and state police can aid federal immigration agents — and created new safeguards for sensitive personal …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us