Gov. Phil Murphy says the state government would once again oversee resettling refugees in New Jersey.

The governor made the announcement Thursday at a naturalization ceremony on the Battleship New Jersey in Camden, where 40 people from 23 countries became U.S. citizens.

Former Gov. Chris Christie ended the resettling oversight three years ago, when he announced his administration would no longer participate in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Refugee Resettlement program.

The governor also signed an executive order to create a state Office of New Americans to help immigrants and refugees resettle in the state.