Terrorism, Phil Murphy, and a sanctuary state

On Tuesday afternoon in the middle of a show we began getting word of something happening in NYC. When these things are still developing, Bill and I try to be careful and not turn a whole broadcast over to any in depth discussion. Too much changes too quickly. For example, it was first being reported that someone in a truck had plowed into people in a bike lane, crashed the truck, and then jumped out and began shooting. Witnesses claimed they heard 15 shots fired. Later we find out when Sayfullo Saipov jumped out of that truck he had only imitation firearms with him. He was shot in the abdomen by a police officer and taken into custody. At first we had conflicting reports that there were six dead while other sources said no deaths were confirmed, then later it was eight dead.

So we gave updates several times, but what we didn't do was open up phone lines for wild conjecture. Because when a story is developing something else happens. Social media blows up with rumors and people call in to radio stations with useless cliches. I heard it last night. "They should put him in a room with the victims' families." "Why give this guy a trial, I say we just kill him right now." Yes, but that's not what we do in America. There was another cliche that I heard being born Tuesday night. "This is what's gonna happen if Phil Murphy makes this a sanctuary state." There was agreement all around.

Let's stop being idiots for one moment, shall we? Phil Murphy's idea of making New Jersey a sanctuary state is despicable. An entire state refusing to cooperate with the federal government over illegal immigration issues is not acceptable. Nor is Phil Murphy's progressive ideology. And we already have more than enough reasons to never make this guy our governor. The fact he couldn't instantly answer what he would do about a Jose Carranza case involving execution style murders is enough to not allow him to be governor. The fact he refuses to answer the 2% cap question is enough to not allow him to be governor. The fact he can't or won't explain how he'll pay for his lofty progressive agenda other than to lamely say 'grow the economy' is enough to not allow him to be governor.

But his misguided and pathetic sanctuary state idea has nothing to do with Tuesday's terrorist attack in NYC.

Sayfullo Saipov has been in our country legally since 2010. He came here from Uzbekistan on a Diversity Immigrant Visa and he had a green card. If you're not familiar with the Diversity Immigrant Visa program, section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act allows for a class of immigrants called "diversity immigrants" from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the U.S.. The State Department says a limited number of visas are available each fiscal year. Saipov was among the few who won the visa lottery. He was here legally. He didn't have much of any criminal record, mostly traffic fines. There was nothing on him to raise enough of a red flag to keep him from passing a background check Uber ran on him. At this point it appears he was radicalized here in the U.S., after coming here. It is happening more and more that these lone wolf types never set foot in an ISIS training camp but instead are indoctrinated through the internet.

Tying terrorism to Phil Murphy's quest for a sanctuary state may be a talking point for the next few days leading to the election, but it does little to address anything real. A CATO Institute report out one year ago has some eye opening numbers. Foreign-born terrorists who came to our country either as immigrants or tourists were responsible for 88 percent of terrorist murders on U.S. soil from 1975 through 2015. However the vast majority of them came here legally. Consider this. The odds of an American dying in a terrorist attack committed by a foreigner on U.S. soil is 1 in 3.6 million. The chance of being murdered by a tourist on a B visa, which is the most common tourist visa, is 1 in 3.9 million. However the chance of dying in an attack committed by an illegal immigrant is 1 in 10.9 BILLION.

We have every reason to be upset about illegal immigrants in this country. We're on solid ground in demanding New Jersey does not become a sanctuary state and Phil Murphy does not become governor. But it's foreigners here LEGALLY that are the far greater threat of terrorism. So let's not confuse much needed change in legal immigration policy with Murphy's quest to protect illegals in a sanctuary state.

We have real problems here cliches aren't going to fix.

More from New Jersey 101.5