Thursday tried to walk back comments that he was housing an immigrant who might be in the United States illegally and daring federal officials to remove her. “I didn’t suggest that, with all due respect,

Phil Murphy’s suggestion that he might harbor an immigrant at his home and daring the federal government to come get her handed an easy talking point to the Democrat’s foes looking to replace him and generated two days of headlines as the Trump administration tries to start mass deportations.

WASHINGTON — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday he was not being literal when he appeared to say he was housing an undocumented immigrant in a garage at his residence and taunt federal officials to “try to get her” — remarks that sparked anger from Republicans.

Phil Murphy suggested that he had provided shelter to a female illegal immigrant in his home, and even taunted the Trump administration “to try to get her.”