What would the GOP candidates do on their first day as governor?

Republican candidates for governor traded barbs during their debate Tuesday night but they agreed on their day one plans: aggressive action to undo state protections for undocumented immigrants.

The GOP is hopeful one of its candidates can succeed Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and win the governorship for the first time since Chris Christie in 2013. Despite the explosive tangents each candidate went on throughout the night, each offered up executive orders they would perform during their first days in office if elected.

Jack Ciattarelli said his first executive order would undo New Jersey’s status as a sanctuary state for undocumented immigrants. There is no specific definition for “sanctuary-state” status, but it generally involves state or city officials refusing to cooperate with federal immigration agents.

The former assemblyman said his second executive order would require all state employees to work in person.

“Our 65,000 state workers are coming back to work. Half of the workforce is working from home post-pandemic,” he claimed.

Ciattarelli also said he would fire members of the state Board of Education and reverse Murphy’s energy plans.

Bill Spadea also said he would end New Jersey’s status as a sanctuary state and noted he would reverse the Immigrant Trust Directive. The directive falls under the Office of the Attorney General and limits how often state and local law enforcement can cooperate with federal immigration agents.

The former radio host said he already has five executive orders written to stop the most recent round of affordable housing obligations for towns throughout the state, which are required per a 1980s N.J. Supreme Court decision known as the Mount Laurel Doctrine.

“We’ve got five [executive orders] already written to stop phase four of this high-density housing nonsense that is crushing our suburban communities,” Spadea said.

State Sen. Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield), the moderate of the group, said he would revoke New Jersey’s sanctuary status as well.

“Look, I feel very badly about certain people been here for 30 years, and this is their life,” Bramnick said. “But we have to follow the law as a governor of this state.”

Former state Sen. Ed Durr was more aggressive, saying he would undo all of Murphy’s executive action from his eight years in office.

“Everything that Governor Murphy made an executive order I’d rescind,” Durr said. “Starting with all his COVID lockdown orders, to his sanctuary state orders, to removing employees because they didn’t take the COVID shot. All of it’s going day one.”