Republicans in Congress, particularly with the House Oversight Committee, having been taking critical steps to crack down on illegal immigration, which has also been a top priority of the second Trump administration. Earlier this year, in March, the Committee heard from sanctuary city mayors. As was just announced on Tuesday afternoon, the Committee will also hear from three Democratic governors from sanctuary states. Govs. JB Prtizker of Illinois, Tim Walz of Minnesota, and Kathy Hochul of New York have all confirmed their participation for a June 12 hearing.
"Sanctuary policies only provide sanctuaries for criminal illegal aliens. Former President Biden created the worst border crisis in U.S. history and allowed criminal illegal aliens to flood our communities. President Trump has ended this crisis and now we have the most secure borders in decades. The Trump Administration is taking decisive action to deport criminal illegal aliens from our nation but reckless sanctuary states like Illinois, Minnesota, and New York are actively seeking to obstruct federal immigration enforcement. The governors of these states must explain why they are prioritizing the protection of criminal illegal aliens over the safety of U.S. citizens, and they must be held accountable," House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said in a statement about the hearing.
Each of the three governors and their states have been newsworthy, including but not merely for their sanctuary policies protecting illegal immigrants. Pritzker, who is a potential 2028 contender for president, and his state have in particular been in the news for fighting the Trump administration on this critical issue. As Guy has been covering, though, this comes as illegal immigrant crime, including charges of murder, has been plaguing the state and the Democratic Party.
Walz and Hochul have also framed themselves as fierce opponents to President Donald Trump for his second term, with Walz having a particular penchant for going after Elon Musk as well. There's been chatter that Walz may try to run for president in 2028, after he was then Vice President Kamala Harris' particularly failed and poorly vetted running mate in 2024, especially when he puts on these town hall events--conveniently only outside of Minnesota--and focuses on attacking Musk. However, he's said his focus is on potentially running for reelection in 2026 Hochul is also up for reelection next year, though she doesn't fare so well in the polls, especially considering she's one of the country's least popular governors.
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Mayors from New York and Illinois, including NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Chicago Mayor Brandon Adams were also among those testifying at the March Oversight Committee hearing, which was announced in January, when Comer also announced that he was launching an investigation into sanctuary jurisdictions. Other mayors present included Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. The investigation was expanded last month, when Comer called on Prtizker, Walz, and Hochul to testify before the Committee.
Thanks to President Trump, illegal immigration into our great country has virtually stopped. Despite the radical left's lies, new legislation wasn't needed to secure our border, just a new president.
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