New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is facing a second federal investigation tied to immigration enforcement, this time focused on controversial comments he made earlier this year that critics say may have implied harboring undocumented individuals at his private residence.
According to a report published by The New York Times, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba has launched an inquiry into Murphy’s remarks made during a February livestream in which he publicly dared U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to conduct a raid on his multimillion-dollar home along the Navesink River. “Come to my house if you want — I dare you,” Murphy said in the now-archived video, a statement many interpreted as suggesting he may have been sheltering someone living in the country illegally.
Murphy’s office later clarified the governor’s comments, insisting that no such individual was ever housed at the residence. Still, the comment ignited political backlash, particularly from Trump-era immigration hardliners. ICE Director Tom Homan slammed the statement as “foolish” and urged federal authorities to investigate.
The FBI has since attempted to interview at least four individuals connected to the episode, according to three unnamed sources cited by The Times.
The probe marks the second time Habba has targeted Murphy since being tapped by President Donald Trump to serve as interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey. In April, Habba announced during a Fox News appearance that she was investigating both Murphy and New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin over the state’s Immigrant Trust Directive, a policy limiting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
Habba accused the directive of violating federal orders to remove violent criminals from the country. At the time, Platkin dismissed the legal challenge as political grandstanding. “It’s settled law,” he said, noting that the policy had already been upheld by courts — including by Trump-appointed judges.
Murphy echoed Platkin, asserting that his administration “goes after criminals hard, no matter their status.” He has defended the directive as a pillar of public safety in New Jersey, calling the Garden State “the safest state in America, by the numbers.”
Though Habba’s term as interim U.S. Attorney is set to expire after 120 days, she has been formally nominated by Trump to remain in the role permanently.
The broader implications of the probe remain unclear. Murphy has not been accused of any crime, and the FBI has not commented publicly on the scope or status of the investigation. Still, the scrutiny adds another political headache for the second-term Democrat, who has seen increasing friction with federal authorities as Trump appointees reassert influence under a second Trump presidency.
Go home phill