TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has drawn criticism from Republicans following remarks suggesting that he and First Lady Tammy Murphy had offered to host an immigrant with uncertain legal status at their residence. However, a spokesperson for the governor clarified Tuesday that no such offer was formally extended, and the individual in question never resided at the Murphy home.

According to spokesperson Mahen Gunaratna, the governor’s comments were part of a broader recounting of a conversation he had with the first lady about someone they knew who was legally in the U.S. but concerned about their immigration status. While the governor mentioned the possibility of inviting the individual to stay in their home, the idea was not pursued, and no invitation was ultimately issued.

Murphy’s initial remarks were made during a progressive forum over the weekend, where he discussed his administration’s efforts to counter policies from the Trump era. “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. “We said, ‘You know what? Let’s have her live at our house above our garage, and good luck to the feds trying to come in and get her.’”

The comments quickly drew backlash from Republican figures. Mario Kranjac, a GOP candidate vying to succeed Murphy, called for immigration officials to investigate the governor. Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a recently designated “special government employee,” also weighed in on the social media platform X, responding to Murphy’s statement with a succinct, “Wow.”

Governor Murphy’s administration has been a vocal advocate for immigrant rights. During his tenure, the state attorney general issued guidelines restricting local law enforcement’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities. A bill to codify these guidelines into state law is currently pending in the Legislature but has yet to progress.

The issue has gained renewed attention since the start of the Trump administration’s second term, particularly after immigration officials conducted arrests in Newark last month. These actions prompted immigrant rights advocates to question Governor Murphy’s stance during a press conference led by Newark’s mayor, who criticized the enforcement measures.

Murphy, a former Goldman Sachs executive and U.S. ambassador to Germany under the Obama administration, resides in a home along the Navesink River in Middletown, New Jersey. His comments, while not resulting in any concrete action, have reignited debates over immigration policy and the role of state leadership in addressing such issues.

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