A Hearing with Sanctuary State Governors

Committee on Government Operations

2025-06-12

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Source: Congress.gov

Summary

The House Oversight Committee convened a hearing to examine the implications of sanctuary policies on public safety, focusing on Minnesota, New York, and Illinois. The discussion featured testimonies from the governors of these states and the CEO of Democracy Forward Foundation, who presented contrasting views on immigration enforcement and its impact on American communities and federal-state relations.

Themes

Impact of Sanctuary Policies on Public Safety

The committee heard arguments that sanctuary policies jeopardize public safety by allegedly protecting criminal illegal aliens. Congressman Comer cited the tragic death of Katie Abraham, emphasizing it was a preventable crime caused by a previously deported illegal alien. Republican members highlighted numerous cases of violent crimes, including rape and murder, committed by illegal aliens, asserting these incidents could have been averted if sanctuary policies had not impeded federal immigration enforcement. In response, Governors Pritzker and Hochul clarified that their states cooperate with ICE in criminal cases, but not in civil immigration enforcement, maintaining that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility. Governor Walz noted that Minnesota's serious crime rate is at a 30-year low, arguing that state policies effectively ensure public safety. Conversely, Democratic members pointed out that statistically, undocumented immigrants are less likely to commit violent crimes than U.S. citizens.

Federal vs. State Authority in Immigration Enforcement

Republicans contended that sanctuary states actively undermine federal immigration laws and endanger federal agents by refusing to fully cooperate with ICE. The governors consistently asserted that immigration enforcement is primarily a federal responsibility, and states should not be compelled to allocate their resources to enforce federal civil immigration laws. They emphasized their states' compliance with federal laws by cooperating in criminal matters and honoring judicial warrants. A key point of contention was New York's Green Light Law, which restricts ICE's access to DMV databases; Republicans argued this hinders law enforcement, while Governor Hochul affirmed that information is shared when a crime is involved.

Use of Military and National Guard in Domestic Situations

A significant portion of the discussion revolved around President Trump's deployment of the National Guard and active-duty Marines in Los Angeles without the California governor's consent. Democrats strongly condemned this action as an abuse of power, a threat to civil liberties, and an overreach of federal authority. The governors underscored that they, as commanders-in-chief of their state National Guards, are responsible for domestic deployments, and uncoordinated federal intervention creates chaos and endangers all involved. Concerns were also raised regarding masked, unidentified agents conducting arrests in public spaces, which was described as a breach of trust. Republicans, however, argued that President Trump's actions were necessary to enforce law and order and combat violence.

Rhetoric and its Consequences

Congressman Comer and other Republican members criticized Governor Walz for comparing ICE agents to the Gestapo, arguing such rhetoric incites violence against law enforcement and trivializes the historical horror of the Holocaust. Governor Walz defended his statement as a "historical reference on authoritarianism" regarding the tactics of masked, unidentified agents, rather than a direct comparison of ICE agents to Nazis. Democratic members criticized the dehumanizing rhetoric used against immigrants by the administration, equating it to historical persecutions and accusing the administration of fear-mongering for political gain.

Economic and Social Costs of Immigration Policies

Republicans argued that sanctuary states impose substantial financial burdens on taxpayers by providing "free" services, such as healthcare, college tuition, and driver's licenses, to illegal aliens. The governors countered by highlighting the significant economic contributions of immigrants through their work and taxes. Democrats also raised concerns about the negative economic impact of restrictive immigration policies on tourism and local economies. Furthermore, they criticized the federal administration's proposed cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and violence prevention programs, arguing that these cuts pose greater threats to American families and communities than the presence of immigrants.

Tone of the Meeting

The tone of the meeting was highly contentious and deeply partisan, marked by frequent interruptions, accusations, and personal attacks. Speakers often engaged in emotional appeals, particularly when discussing victims of crime or invoking historical comparisons. There was a clear ideological divide, with Republicans primarily focusing on border security and the alleged negative consequences of illegal immigration, while Democrats emphasized due process, human rights, and a strong critique of the current administration's enforcement tactics. Both sides accused the other of political showboating and misinformation.

Participants

Transcript

This hearing of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will come to order.   Wanna welcome everyone here today.  Without objection, the chair can declare a recess at any time.  I now recognize myself for the purpose of making an opening statement.  Good morning.  Today, the House Oversight Committee will continue to examine the consequences of reckless and dangerous sanctuary policies that jeopardize public safety.   Three sanctuary state governors from Minnesota, New York and Illinois are here to testify under oath about why they allow criminal illegal aliens to roam free in American communities.  Let me be clear.  Sanctuary policies do not protect Americans.  They protect criminal illegal aliens.  That is a fact.   that the Abraham family knows all too well.  With us today is the father of Katie Abraham, Joe, and Katie's stepmother, Michelle.  In January of this year, Katie was tragically killed in a car crash near the University of Illinois in Urbana.  Urbana, like the state of Illinois, is a sanctuary jurisdiction.  Katie's killer was a previously deported criminal illegal alien who was driving drunk.   He fled the scene and the jurisdiction and was later apprehended by the US Marshal Service in Texas.  Katie was just 20 years old.  She had a bright future ahead of her that was stolen from her and her very loving family.  The illegal alien who took Katie's life should never have been allowed into our country.  This was a preventable crime.  Unfortunately, there are too many instances where criminal illegal aliens have harmed Americans.
Behind me are photos of some of the many criminal illegal aliens that have been captured in Illinois, Minnesota, and New York.  These criminals have been convicted of crimes including vehicular homicide of a woman, sexual abuse of children, slashing a victim with a machete, and carjacking among many other crimes.  It's absolutely sickening that sanctuary jurisdictions seek to protect these criminals rather than protect Americans.   Instead of putting America first, the Biden-Harris administration deliberately dismantled the border security to unleash the worst border disaster in American history.  Their radical policies allowed millions of illegals to flood into our country.  Americans voted to end the Biden border crisis and President Trump has delivered on his promise to secure the border.  He has taken bold, decisive action to restore our sovereignty and make America safer with each passing day.   And here in Congress, we are working to pass the one big beautiful bill to fund U.S.  immigration and customs enforcement so it can carry out the mass deportation of criminal illegal aliens.  Despite President Trump's efforts to secure the border and enforce the law, Democrat-run sanctuary cities and states are siding with illegal aliens.   For today's Democrat Party, it seems unlimited illegal immigration isn't a failure of policy, it is the policy.  And that agenda is being pushed at every level of government.  And this comes at a steep cost to public safety, strains law enforcement resources, and imposes a massive financial burden on both federal and state taxpayers.  That's not just bad policy, it is a serious oversight failure.   Congress must confront this absurd reality.  State and local officials are actively undermining federal immigration enforcement, even when it's aimed at making their own communities safer.
It's time to determine what legislative action is needed to stop this subversion and restore the rule of law.  It's growing more and more absurd every day.  In recent weeks, we've witnessed a Democrat senator who traveled to a foreign country for a wellness check   on a foreign MS-13 gang member and now indicted human smuggler that ended with a photo op and margaritas on the rocks.  The fervor among Democrats who take the side of illegal alien criminals grew so strong that I even had to deny a written request from members of this very committee to go on a taxpayer-funded junket to visit with this same MS-13 gang member.   Earlier this year, I launched an investigation into the radical pro-illegal immigration policies of sanctuary jurisdictions.  At an oversight committee hearing with some of our country's worst sanctuary city mayors earlier this year, the public was able to clearly see how they care more about illegal aliens than their own citizens.  They have pledged not to cooperate with federal law enforcement officials, not even to hand over criminals in their custody who were originally arrested by their own local law enforcement officials for crimes.   The absurdity does not stop there.  Several of those local officials pointed the finger to laws and policies that their state governments put in place.  I invited these governors here today because, as the chief executives of their states, they willfully ignore federal law, shield illegal aliens, and pass the cost of free services onto their hardworking taxpayers.  It's hard to figure out whose side these governors are on.

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