Republicans aim to spotlight immigration in the NJ governor race
Candidates are pledging to eliminate public benefits for undocumented immigrants and implement Trump's immigration policies.
TroibNews 
The pathway for a Republican to gain the New Jersey governorship appears to be linked to issues surrounding the nation's southern border.
Though New Jersey is approximately 2,000 miles from Mexico, immigration has emerged as a pivotal topic in the state's Republican primary for governor, serving as a battleground for candidates vying to secure the support of Trump loyalists.
The leading GOP contenders are positioning themselves in favor of the Trump administration's stringent immigration policies. One candidate has expressed support for restricting birthright citizenship, while another is contemplating the deployment of the National Guard to deter migrants from entering New Jersey.
New Jersey is home to one of the largest immigrant populations in the United States, and a Republican governorship could mark a significant shift from the policies of incumbent Democratic Governor Phil Murphy, who has adopted a "sanctuary state" stance. The Republican candidates have promised to revoke public benefits for undocumented immigrants and to collaborate with federal authorities to advance Trump's immigration agenda.
Most of the six Democratic candidates for governor have shown support for maintaining sanctuary state policies, albeit to varying extents. Former Senate President Steve Sweeney, one of the Democratic candidates, has pledged to abolish New Jersey's regulations that limit state and local law enforcement's cooperation with federal immigration agencies.
The emphasis on immigration issues aligns with the Republican primary's primary goal of demonstrating allegiance to President Donald Trump, who narrowly lost New Jersey in the 2024 election but has made immigration policy a top priority of his administration. If Trump endorses a candidate, it could significantly alter the dynamics of the race.
A key goal for conservative gubernatorial candidates is the termination of the Murphy administration's Immigrant Trust Directive, commonly referred to as New Jersey's "sanctuary state" policy. This directive restricts cooperation between state and local law enforcement and federal immigration officials, with exceptions for individuals convicted of violent crimes.
“I'm sure some on the left in the coming months will try to argue that this is a federal issue,” stated Matt Rooney, executive director of the New Jersey chapter of the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank. “Well, Phil Murphy made it a New Jersey issue. Every single governor and mayor around the country that declared their jurisdiction a sanctuary state made it a state and local issue.”
During this year’s initial GOP gubernatorial debate, three candidates committed to making the elimination of the “sanctuary state” policy a top priority on their first day: former Assemblymember Jack Ciattarelli, the 2021 GOP nominee for governor running for a third time; former radio host Bill Spadea; and former state Senator Ed Durr. Another candidate, state Senator Jon Bramnick, also focused on ending sanctuary cities as a priority.
As the campaign progresses, Ciattarelli is seen as the frontrunner based on limited polling data. Despite New Jersey's Democratic tendencies, Republicans have historically captured the governorship by addressing the state's high cost of living—and they are optimistic that a focus on immigration at the state level will yield similar results.
“Candidates should be talking about the issues that are most important to the people,” Ciattarelli conveyed in an interview with PMG. “President Trump talked about this issue all throughout the campaign, and he won the popular vote, he won the seven swing states, he won the Electoral College.”
The GOP contenders not only advocate for conservative immigration policies but also scrutinize their opponents' commitment to enforcing immigration restrictions.
In the recent debate, Ciattarelli sought to challenge Spadea's hardline immigration positions by highlighting Spadea's past support for amnesty for undocumented immigrants.
Spadea reiterated his “unwavering support” in a letter to Trump border official Tom Homan and pointed out comments made by Ciattarelli stating, “we are not going to deport 14, 15 or 16 million people that came to this country that are undocumented,” arguing that Ciattarelli opposes Trump's deportation strategies. Ciattarelli had made those remarks during a 2021 debate before Trump announced his latest presidential bid.
Although Ciattarelli had previously referred to Trump as a “charlatan” in 2015, he has since backed Trump's latest campaign and is now aligned with his immigration policies. In the interview, Ciattarelli indicated his administration would collaborate with the Trump administration on deportations and supports using military resources at the southern border. Additionally, he praised Trump for doing “the right thing” in attempting to limit birthright citizenship, especially as New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin joins other Democratic states in challenging the executive order.
“I've never believed that birthright citizenship should mean that people enter this country illegally, give birth and that baby is an American citizen,” Ciattarelli stated in a recent podcast.
While he has supported certain pro-immigrant policies in the past—such as voting to allow in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants under former Republican Governor Chris Christie—during his 2021 campaign, Ciattarelli indicated he would oppose a law allowing driver licenses for undocumented immigrants, though he later endorsed it during a general election debate.
When asked if he would repeal the driver’s license law for undocumented immigrants, Ciattarelli signaled agreement—prompting surprise from his rivals.
“Jack changed pretty quick on that one, baby,” Bramnick remarked during the debate.
In the aftermath of the debate, Ciattarelli mentioned he was waiting to evaluate Trump's ultimate deportation plans before deciding his stance on driver's licenses.
“I’ll support whatever [Trump is] gonna do with his final mass deportation plan,” he said. “But if there are people here who are not going to be deported, we need to know who they are. And the way to do that is with a government-issued ID.”
He also appeared open to maintaining in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants but stopped short of a definite endorsement.
“I'm not one for penalizing the children of illegal immigrants who have been brought here under no power of their own,” he expressed to PMG.
Ciattarelli's previous support for driver licenses and college tuition for undocumented immigrants has become a focal point for Spadea, who has underscored those positions in advertisements and during the GOP debate.
In an interview, Spadea asserted his support for eliminating nearly all state programs that extend public benefits to undocumented immigrants, stating, “the only acceptable number is zero.” He named benefits such as driver licenses, elective healthcare, college tuition, and legal services for those facing deportation as ones he would seek to abolish for undocumented immigrants.
Spadea envisions a comprehensive approach. He noted that while a Murphy-era law barred local governments and private jails from holding immigrant detainees—an issue currently embroiled in litigation—he believes that county jails could serve as “revenue centers” by housing immigrants, leveraging arrangements that some Democrat-controlled counties previously utilized. Spadea also expressed support for deploying the state’s National Guard for immigration purposes.
“I believe we're going to need to leverage and use the National Guard to help us here,” he said. “I mean, it can be anything from helping the local mayors turn buses [of migrants] around that are coming in from other states.”
Spadea looks to Texas and Florida as models for policy. He supports implementing a Florida law that requires hospital patients to disclose their immigration status; such a policy, while not restricting care, raises concerns about deterring immigrants from seeking medical assistance.
However, Spadea's past as a media figure may complicate his campaign; a Super PAC linked to Ciattarelli has begun highlighting Spadea's 2018 comments, in which he described himself as “a little more liberal than my conservative friends” on immigration issues.
“I do believe in amnesty and a pathway to citizenship for people that want to be here, working hard, not criminals,” Spadea stated in 2018.
This perspective isn't new for Spadea. During his unsuccessful 2004 Congressional campaign, he reportedly advocated for “a general amnesty to working illegal immigrants because the costs of deporting them all would be too great,” although PMG could not verify recordings from that debate.
Spadea clarified to PMG that his 2018 comments were taken out of context, claiming he believed then that Trump's immigration policies were effective. Now, with an influx of immigrants under the Biden administration, he argues, “now there is no other position to take but to say everyone must be deported.” He added, “How can you now tell the difference between a child who is being used in a human trafficking way and a kid that was … brought here and grew up in the system?”
Revoking certain benefits would likely require legislation from New Jersey's Democratic-controlled Legislature, a challenging endeavor. In an interview, Bramnick expressed support for reducing benefits like driver's licenses and college aid for undocumented immigrants but emphasized he wouldn't focus on it as a primary goal.
“It's not going to be my number one priority to try to scale back benefits, but if it came to my desk, I certainly would sign it,” Bramnick stated. “That's an unlikely scenario.”
While known as a moderate Republican, Bramnick maintains a conservative voting record on immigration issues. He also commented that he “would not get in front of” federal efforts to enhance immigration detention in New Jersey and has opposed driver licenses and public tuition assistance for undocumented immigrants.
“If the federal law says the person is here illegally, why would I grant them rights?” Bramnick remarked.
Durr, a truck driver who notably defeated the state’s longest-serving Senate president, expressed in an interview that he “fully support[s] the immigration policies of President Trump.” He also added that leading candidates Spadea and Ciattarelli have been inconsistent in their positions.
“Now that Trump is in office, they're both trying to align themselves as full MAGA when they've been on both sides of Trump,” Durr pointed out. “They've both ridiculed him and they've both praised him, and they've been on both sides of the immigration issue. … Whether people agree with my stance, at least my stance has always been consistent.”
Frederick R Cook contributed to this report for TROIB News
Though New Jersey is approximately 2,000 miles from Mexico, immigration has emerged as a pivotal topic in the state's Republican primary for governor, serving as a battleground for candidates vying to secure the support of Trump loyalists.
The leading GOP contenders are positioning themselves in favor of the Trump administration's stringent immigration policies. One candidate has expressed support for restricting birthright citizenship, while another is contemplating the deployment of the National Guard to deter migrants from entering New Jersey.
New Jersey is home to one of the largest immigrant populations in the United States, and a Republican governorship could mark a significant shift from the policies of incumbent Democratic Governor Phil Murphy, who has adopted a "sanctuary state" stance. The Republican candidates have promised to revoke public benefits for undocumented immigrants and to collaborate with federal authorities to advance Trump's immigration agenda.
Most of the six Democratic candidates for governor have shown support for maintaining sanctuary state policies, albeit to varying extents. Former Senate President Steve Sweeney, one of the Democratic candidates, has pledged to abolish New Jersey's regulations that limit state and local law enforcement's cooperation with federal immigration agencies.
The emphasis on immigration issues aligns with the Republican primary's primary goal of demonstrating allegiance to President Donald Trump, who narrowly lost New Jersey in the 2024 election but has made immigration policy a top priority of his administration. If Trump endorses a candidate, it could significantly alter the dynamics of the race.
A key goal for conservative gubernatorial candidates is the termination of the Murphy administration's Immigrant Trust Directive, commonly referred to as New Jersey's "sanctuary state" policy. This directive restricts cooperation between state and local law enforcement and federal immigration officials, with exceptions for individuals convicted of violent crimes.
“I'm sure some on the left in the coming months will try to argue that this is a federal issue,” stated Matt Rooney, executive director of the New Jersey chapter of the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank. “Well, Phil Murphy made it a New Jersey issue. Every single governor and mayor around the country that declared their jurisdiction a sanctuary state made it a state and local issue.”
During this year’s initial GOP gubernatorial debate, three candidates committed to making the elimination of the “sanctuary state” policy a top priority on their first day: former Assemblymember Jack Ciattarelli, the 2021 GOP nominee for governor running for a third time; former radio host Bill Spadea; and former state Senator Ed Durr. Another candidate, state Senator Jon Bramnick, also focused on ending sanctuary cities as a priority.
As the campaign progresses, Ciattarelli is seen as the frontrunner based on limited polling data. Despite New Jersey's Democratic tendencies, Republicans have historically captured the governorship by addressing the state's high cost of living—and they are optimistic that a focus on immigration at the state level will yield similar results.
“Candidates should be talking about the issues that are most important to the people,” Ciattarelli conveyed in an interview with PMG. “President Trump talked about this issue all throughout the campaign, and he won the popular vote, he won the seven swing states, he won the Electoral College.”
The GOP contenders not only advocate for conservative immigration policies but also scrutinize their opponents' commitment to enforcing immigration restrictions.
In the recent debate, Ciattarelli sought to challenge Spadea's hardline immigration positions by highlighting Spadea's past support for amnesty for undocumented immigrants.
Spadea reiterated his “unwavering support” in a letter to Trump border official Tom Homan and pointed out comments made by Ciattarelli stating, “we are not going to deport 14, 15 or 16 million people that came to this country that are undocumented,” arguing that Ciattarelli opposes Trump's deportation strategies. Ciattarelli had made those remarks during a 2021 debate before Trump announced his latest presidential bid.
Although Ciattarelli had previously referred to Trump as a “charlatan” in 2015, he has since backed Trump's latest campaign and is now aligned with his immigration policies. In the interview, Ciattarelli indicated his administration would collaborate with the Trump administration on deportations and supports using military resources at the southern border. Additionally, he praised Trump for doing “the right thing” in attempting to limit birthright citizenship, especially as New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin joins other Democratic states in challenging the executive order.
“I've never believed that birthright citizenship should mean that people enter this country illegally, give birth and that baby is an American citizen,” Ciattarelli stated in a recent podcast.
While he has supported certain pro-immigrant policies in the past—such as voting to allow in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants under former Republican Governor Chris Christie—during his 2021 campaign, Ciattarelli indicated he would oppose a law allowing driver licenses for undocumented immigrants, though he later endorsed it during a general election debate.
When asked if he would repeal the driver’s license law for undocumented immigrants, Ciattarelli signaled agreement—prompting surprise from his rivals.
“Jack changed pretty quick on that one, baby,” Bramnick remarked during the debate.
In the aftermath of the debate, Ciattarelli mentioned he was waiting to evaluate Trump's ultimate deportation plans before deciding his stance on driver's licenses.
“I’ll support whatever [Trump is] gonna do with his final mass deportation plan,” he said. “But if there are people here who are not going to be deported, we need to know who they are. And the way to do that is with a government-issued ID.”
He also appeared open to maintaining in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants but stopped short of a definite endorsement.
“I'm not one for penalizing the children of illegal immigrants who have been brought here under no power of their own,” he expressed to PMG.
Ciattarelli's previous support for driver licenses and college tuition for undocumented immigrants has become a focal point for Spadea, who has underscored those positions in advertisements and during the GOP debate.
In an interview, Spadea asserted his support for eliminating nearly all state programs that extend public benefits to undocumented immigrants, stating, “the only acceptable number is zero.” He named benefits such as driver licenses, elective healthcare, college tuition, and legal services for those facing deportation as ones he would seek to abolish for undocumented immigrants.
Spadea envisions a comprehensive approach. He noted that while a Murphy-era law barred local governments and private jails from holding immigrant detainees—an issue currently embroiled in litigation—he believes that county jails could serve as “revenue centers” by housing immigrants, leveraging arrangements that some Democrat-controlled counties previously utilized. Spadea also expressed support for deploying the state’s National Guard for immigration purposes.
“I believe we're going to need to leverage and use the National Guard to help us here,” he said. “I mean, it can be anything from helping the local mayors turn buses [of migrants] around that are coming in from other states.”
Spadea looks to Texas and Florida as models for policy. He supports implementing a Florida law that requires hospital patients to disclose their immigration status; such a policy, while not restricting care, raises concerns about deterring immigrants from seeking medical assistance.
However, Spadea's past as a media figure may complicate his campaign; a Super PAC linked to Ciattarelli has begun highlighting Spadea's 2018 comments, in which he described himself as “a little more liberal than my conservative friends” on immigration issues.
“I do believe in amnesty and a pathway to citizenship for people that want to be here, working hard, not criminals,” Spadea stated in 2018.
This perspective isn't new for Spadea. During his unsuccessful 2004 Congressional campaign, he reportedly advocated for “a general amnesty to working illegal immigrants because the costs of deporting them all would be too great,” although PMG could not verify recordings from that debate.
Spadea clarified to PMG that his 2018 comments were taken out of context, claiming he believed then that Trump's immigration policies were effective. Now, with an influx of immigrants under the Biden administration, he argues, “now there is no other position to take but to say everyone must be deported.” He added, “How can you now tell the difference between a child who is being used in a human trafficking way and a kid that was … brought here and grew up in the system?”
Revoking certain benefits would likely require legislation from New Jersey's Democratic-controlled Legislature, a challenging endeavor. In an interview, Bramnick expressed support for reducing benefits like driver's licenses and college aid for undocumented immigrants but emphasized he wouldn't focus on it as a primary goal.
“It's not going to be my number one priority to try to scale back benefits, but if it came to my desk, I certainly would sign it,” Bramnick stated. “That's an unlikely scenario.”
While known as a moderate Republican, Bramnick maintains a conservative voting record on immigration issues. He also commented that he “would not get in front of” federal efforts to enhance immigration detention in New Jersey and has opposed driver licenses and public tuition assistance for undocumented immigrants.
“If the federal law says the person is here illegally, why would I grant them rights?” Bramnick remarked.
Durr, a truck driver who notably defeated the state’s longest-serving Senate president, expressed in an interview that he “fully support[s] the immigration policies of President Trump.” He also added that leading candidates Spadea and Ciattarelli have been inconsistent in their positions.
“Now that Trump is in office, they're both trying to align themselves as full MAGA when they've been on both sides of Trump,” Durr pointed out. “They've both ridiculed him and they've both praised him, and they've been on both sides of the immigration issue. … Whether people agree with my stance, at least my stance has always been consistent.”
Frederick R Cook contributed to this report for TROIB News
