“New Jersey will not be a party to this utterly inhumane policy. Ever since our founding — and you can argue even before — our nation has been a beacon for families seeking freedom and yearning for a better life,” Murphy said at an unrelated press conference in Trenton several hours before signing the order. “President Trump has turned this promise on its head by doubling down on his inhumane and cruel policy of separating families. Housing children in cages should send chills down the spine of any right-thinking American.”
It’s not clear, however, whether any New Jersey resources are being used to separate immigrant families at the border. Murphy did not say specifically what actions would be halted.
The Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance” policy of prosecuting everyone caught crossing the border illegally has, in effect, meant separating children from their parents. The policy has been denounced by Democrats along with some Republicans in Congress. Murphy, a Democrat, has frequently taken positions that are at odds with the Trump administration.
