Former Trump Lawyer Targets New Jersey Governor’s Immigration Policy

President Trump’s former defense attorney and newly appointed interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, Alina Habba, has launched an unprecedented investigation into the state’s top Democratic officials over their limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Habba announced Thursday on Fox News that she has directed prosecutors to investigate Governor Philip Murphy and Attorney General Matthew Platkin for their enforcement of policies that restrict local police assistance to federal immigration officers.

“I have instructed my office today to open an investigation into Gov. Murphy, to open an investigation into Attorney General Platkin,” Habba declared during her television appearance. The interim prosecutor characterized her announcement as a “warning for everybody” who might obstruct the administration’s deportation efforts, promising that anyone who gets “in the way” would face charges of “obstruction” and “concealment.”

The investigation targets New Jersey’s 2018 Immigrant Trust Directive, which, according to The Hill, limits the types of assistance that state and local law enforcement may provide to federal immigration authorities, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This policy has become a flashpoint in the broader conflict between the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration agenda and Democratic-led states with sanctuary policies.

Source: Gage Skidmore/Alina Habba/WikimediaCommons

Presidential Loyalist Turns Federal Prosecutor

Habba’s appointment as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor raised eyebrows given her limited prosecutorial experience and close ties to President Trump. Prior to her appointment, she served as Trump’s defense attorney in several high-profile civil cases, including E. Jean Carroll’s defamation lawsuit, and as a White House counselor after the president’s January inauguration.

The 41-year-old attorney’s legal background differs significantly from typical U.S. Attorney appointees, who often have extensive experience as prosecutors at federal, state, or local levels. Associated Press notes that Habba has practiced primarily in state courts rather than federal venues, with her most visible work being her representation of Trump in civil litigation.

Her legal record includes some notable setbacks, including being fined nearly $1 million alongside Trump in 2023 for filing what a Florida judge called a bogus lawsuit against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. During E. Jean Carroll’s defamation trial against Trump, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan repeatedly admonished Habba for procedural errors and misstating the law.

Immigration Enforcement Takes Center Stage

Habba’s investigation aligns with a January Justice Department directive ordering U.S. attorneys nationwide to investigate law enforcement officials who decline to enforce federal immigration policies. The New York Times reports this is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to use the Justice Department against Democratic officials who resist the federal immigration agenda.

The confrontation between federal and state authorities comes as the administration prepares to reopen a 1,000-bed detention center near Newark Liberty International Airport to house individuals facing deportation. Governor Murphy has previously expressed strong opposition to this facility, stating his administration was “extremely disappointed” by the contract with a for-profit prison company to operate the detention center.

“Our Administration has previously fought to limit such entities opening in our state and will continue to do so,” Murphy told reporters when the detention center plans were announced in February, setting the stage for the current conflict with federal authorities.

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Legal Boundaries and Political Tensions

The investigation raises significant questions about federalism and the boundaries between state and federal law enforcement authorities. While Habba claims Attorney General Pam Bondi’s orders “supersede the state’s authority,” legal experts note that states have historically maintained considerable discretion in determining how their law enforcement resources are allocated.

During her announcement, Habba emphasized her commitment to pursuing the president’s “America First” agenda, specifically targeting what she characterized as crime issues in New Jersey cities. “If you look at what happened in crime, what’s going on in Newark, what’s going on in Camden, this has been a neglected state,” she stated, though her assessment contradicts reports from local officials that violent crime rates in Camden reached a 55-year low and homicide rates in Newark had fallen in recent years.

Neither Governor Murphy nor Attorney General Platkin has issued a formal response to the investigation announcement, though the confrontation appears poised to escalate as federal authorities increase pressure on states with sanctuary policies. The unprecedented nature of a federal prosecutor targeting a sitting governor and attorney general suggests this conflict may ultimately be resolved in federal courts.

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