New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) is under federal scrutiny following comments he made earlier this year suggesting he and his wife had offered to shelter an illegal immigrant in their personal residence.
According to a report from The New York Times, Murphy has been issued a federal subpoena, and the FBI has interviewed at least four witnesses in connection with the matter.
The investigation, led by U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba, reportedly centers on remarks Murphy made in February during a public discussion with the progressive group Blue Wave New Jersey. During the event, Murphy appeared to suggest he had invited a woman with unresolved immigration status to live in his family’s home in Middletown, New Jersey.
“Tammy and I were talking about… I don’t want to get into too much detail, but there’s someone in our broader universe whose immigration status is not yet at the point that they are trying to get it to,” Murphy said. “And we said, ‘You know what? Let’s have her live at our house above our garage,’ and good luck to the feds coming in to try to get her.”
The remark sparked immediate controversy and raised legal concerns over whether the governor was actively harboring an undocumented immigrant — a potential federal offense under U.S. immigration law.
Although Murphy’s office later walked back the statement, telling the New York Post that no one had ever lived in the home under those circumstances, the Justice Department appears to be taking the matter seriously. According to sources with direct knowledge of the situation, the FBI has initiated interviews and the governor has been formally subpoenaed, though not yet personally questioned.
🚨 US Attorney for NJ Alina Habba has SUBPOENAED Democrat NJ Governor Phil Murphy for conspiring to HARBOR ILLEGALS in his home
“Let’s have her live at our house above our garage, and good luck to the feds coming in to try to get her.”
LOCK HIM UP! Harboring illegals is a… pic.twitter.com/lSLeA4Ojow
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 14, 2025
The probe’s exact legal focus remains unclear, but it could fall under statutes that prohibit knowingly harboring individuals who are in the country unlawfully — particularly if done with the intent to shield them from detection by federal immigration authorities.
Murphy, a vocal proponent of New Jersey’s “sanctuary state” policies, has previously clashed with federal immigration enforcement efforts, particularly during the Trump administration. His comments earlier this year were cheered by progressive activists but quickly drew backlash from critics who argued that he appeared to boast about obstructing federal law.
