Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli delivered a powerful message ahead of Tuesday’s election, pledging to restore law and order to New Jersey by abolishing sanctuary cities and ending the state’s controversial cashless bail system.

Speaking before supporters, Ciattarelli made it clear that his first act as governor would be to reverse the executive orders put in place by Democrat Phil Murphy that turned New Jersey into a sanctuary state. “Executive order number one on day one? No town in this state will be a sanctuary city and we will not be a sanctuary state,” Ciattarelli declared.

The Republican candidate emphasized that many of Murphy’s policies were enacted through executive action rather than legislative approval, giving him the authority to swiftly overturn them if elected. “They weren’t codified by the legislature, which means I can reverse them on day one,” he said.

Ciattarelli argued that sanctuary policies encourage illegal immigration and restrict local law enforcement from cooperating with federal agencies. “Having sanctuary cities and us being a sanctuary state encourages illegal immigration and it handcuffs our local police in certain ways. We’re not doing that,” he said.

The candidate underscored his plan to empower police departments to work freely with federal partners to ensure community safety. “If a local police chief and mayor wanna work together to preserve safety of your community by partnering with a federal agency, I’m not gonna get in the way,” he said.

Beyond immigration, Ciattarelli turned his focus to criminal justice reform, blasting New Jersey’s cashless bail system for enabling repeat offenders. “Cashless bail has created a professional criminal who’s learned how to game the system. Talk to your local cops and they’ll tell you about this dynamic known as arrest, release, repeat. It’s demoralizing for cops.”

Ciattarelli’s hardline stance resonates with many Republicans and independents frustrated by rising crime and lenient policies that they believe have eroded public safety. His campaign has positioned him as a strong advocate for police, common-sense governance, and restoring accountability to the justice system.

With polls showing the race tightening, Ciattarelli’s message of restoring order and putting citizens’ safety first could prove decisive.