to do those things, we will ask you to go on and do those things, go on to your army exchange and get a job to get commercial insurance, but we are not governor pritzker, was it your administration or was it the trump administration that arrested a 10-year-old u.s. citizen recovering from brain cancer and sent her to mexico? gov. pritzker: it was the trump administration, sir. >> correct. governor walz, was it your

administration or was it the trump administration that jailed an american for days, alleging he was in the country illegally despite him being a u.s. citizen? gov. walz: i believe that with the trump of ministration. >> that's correct. governor hogan, was it your administer -- hochul, your administration or a trumpet ministration that arrested a totally innocent u.s. citizen, pregnant woman who wound up in the hospital after detention? gov. hochul: those horrific situations are all the result of the trump administration's over enforcement of our laws. >> that was just this weekend that is correct. let me be clear. democratic governors who are trying to protect the rights of all of us are not the real danger that we face. donald trump's reckless immigration policies are what is putting us at risk.

u.s. citizens included. trump and his puppets here in congress put out a constant stream of lies about immigration. so let me summarize what is really going on here. trump has ordered law enforcement agencies to focus not on violent criminals, but on indiscriminately rounding up as many people as possible. trump is targeting people going to work at home depot and 7-11, ignoring. trump is targeting people trying to go to court hearings, ignoring those who commit veal -- real violence. then there's the kids. imagine just for a moment that they are your kids. law enforcement raids at our schools. kids with their hands zipped tied behind their backs, multiple u.s. citizen children with cancer deported to foreign countries, separated from their

treatment, their care and their doctors. this is not just about immigrant families. donald trump is undermining the rights that protect all of us. matter who we are and where we come from. people are being arrested without ever having been accused of a crime, held for days without contact with their families or their lawyers. people being deported in violation of judicial orders. trump also was going after anyone who dares try to put up guardrails against this, arresting judges, arresting mayors, arresting members of congress and union leaders. this is not law. this is not order. this is chaos and it is dangerous for all of us. around the country right around the country right now people are peacefully protesting around the world what the trump administration is doing, caring families and communities apart,

ignoring the rule of law, making us less safe. if you are one of those peaceful demonstrators, i hear you, i see you, i have your back. so many of you are suffering because of someone you love is terrified or has been unjustly taken away from you by this administration. what donald trump does not want people to hear your message. that is why he has taken a national guard troops and the marines away from their jobs and hasn't sent them to los angeles, breaking all the rules-- has sent them to los angeles, bricking all the rules of how purchase like this are handled. trump and governor abbott have sent troops to my district in san antonio, a place that has been orderly and peaceful, because as always donald trump is trying to stoke up chaos and division, and he doesn't care who gets hurt in the process. he wants to start a fire, pour gasoline on it come and blame somebody else for the flames.

if you are watching at home and you see images of disorder or chaos in the coming days, remember this, it's donald trump's fire. it's him who lit the fire, and who does not care if the rest of us get burned. i yield back. >> the chair recognizes representative fallon from texas. rep. fallon: governor walz, would you say that the most important thing of any elected official is to keep constituents safe? gov. walz: i would. rep. fallon: i agree. in reading the bio you provided, nor did you mentioned the safety of minnesotans and lot -- law enforcement and the rule of law. the summer of 2020, there were protests, you refer to them as peaceful demonstrations. in hindsight would you stand by that? gov. walz: after the murder of

george floyd on the streets -- rep. fallon: were there mostly peaceful protests? gov. walz: there were. rep. fallon: so why did you have a call at the national guard? gov. walz: there weren't all peaceful protest. rep. fallon: what was the cost in dollars? the industry in minnesota put it between $1 billion and $2 billion. if that is a peaceful protest in minnesota, i shudder to think what a violent one would cost. gov. walz: i do not call it there. they were there and they are in prison. rep. fallon: as long as we are talking about federal dinners and i talked to federal law enforcement officials about this, a detainer is issued when somebody is in custody or confined, jailed, imprisoned, not somebody plucked of this regrettably. it is three conditions, and/or

probable cause, a foreign national is subject to removal, deportation order has been issued, or it is a foreign national who has committed a crime and is about to be released. sanctuary states want cooperate with federal law enforcement. in minnesota, do you cooperate sometimes, never, all the time? gov. walz: we follow law in all jurisdictions and some of them -- rep. fallon: some dude, some don't-- some do, some don't. would you commit here and now -- i think it is commonsensical -- to compel state and locals in minnesota to cooperate with all federal dinners issued by federal law enforcement when it involves a foreign national that has been convicted of a felony? i'm talking about kidnappers, rapists, child molesters, murderers,, predators parasites, scumbags? gov. walz: convicted of a felony

held integrations, every time -- in state corrections, every time. what i would ask you is are you going to fund ice what they don't chaos in dinners? rep. fallon: listen, i don't call them to stop-- gestapo. my definition is real not is from 1933 to 1945 who participated -- real nazi from 1933 to 9045 uber discredit -- where is the apology? gov. walz: donald trump -- rep. fallon: donald trump is not here. you are a big boy -- gov. walz: don't wear masks -- rep. fallon: you call them gestapo. we do apologize that? gov. walz: congressman, my john besh -- my job -- rep. fallon: reclaim my time. you won't answer the question. i think that is hyperbolic

demagoguery. he said in a speech, maybe you got carried away, you are going to kick republicans' asses. that is dangerous rhetoric, especially when you say gestapo. time and again you excuse violence and used dangerous and irresponsible rhetoric, and you can choose between the underside of law enforcement or the side of vicious criminals, and you have chosen the latter time and again i don't know why. maybe want to impress your limousine liberal friends while you eat wine and cheese or get coffee every morning at the hemp store. i can see why the american people in november made it a bad night for you and great night for our future. i yield back. chair comer: the chair acknowledges mr. bell from missouri.

>> thank you, mr. chair, and are witnesses for bingo today. it is important--being here today. it is important for leaders to be honest and understand the nuances of issues. all the easy problems have been solved and we are left with a tough one. it is important to our constituents that we are explaining the nuance in these issues. this hearing is yet another attempt at dismantling the system of power and the rule of law in america. the administration's threats to withhold funding and resources from states to coerce them to adhere to federal immigration law is unconstitutional, period. the deployment of federal troops without authorization is unconstitutional, period. masked, unidentified ice agents snatching people off the streets is unconstitutional, period. since my colleague brought this

up, governor walz, i'm a former prosecutor. is a good precedent to allow masked men to show up and take people off the streets, not even identifying themselves? gov. walz: and it also no-- no, and it also puts law-enforcement at risk. rep. bell: absolutely. and there is this criminal element who might say, hmm, we can connect people, rob people, come with masks and identify as ice and someone may not know what they can do. gov. walz: if i'm not mistaken, yesterday that very thing happen. someone identify themselves as ice and committed a crime. you wear the badge for a reason. you make sure you are coordinating with the other law enforcement agents. it is a dangerous situation for everyone. rep. bell: absolutely. and so governors, quickly, as it relates to criminal trends in your state, are illegal

immigrants more or less likely to come in violent crimes? gov. pritzker: it is clear that immigrants commit crime at a lower rate than the rest of our population. rep. bell: studies suggest that illegal immigrants were half as likely as u.s. citizens to commit an offense serious enough to result in incarceration. and it seems to me that we are redirecting critical resources from communities to address immigration when statistically immigrants commit less serious crimes. in this misalignment risks undermining community stability by deprioritizing other public safety concerns, would you have to deal with. i would like to ask quickly, are you familiar -- i'm not sure you are because this was out of the state house in missouri -- are you familiar with the second amendment preservation act? >> is that the act where the state house in missouri sought to pass a law that it would not cooperate with federal law enforcement? rep. bell: particularly with gun

cases, yes ma'am. i'm a little confused, and i would love for my republican colleagues to clear this confusion up. on one hand, when it involves immigration they are saying that states like yourself should do the job for them, reallocate resources from those -- from places that you are doing tremendous work in to do the federal government's job, but when it comes to gun violence, missouri passed a law forbidding police, local police from cooperating with federal law enforcement. and so i have got to ask, in your respective communities, is gun violence a problem? governor hochul? gov. hochul: any incidents of violence is a problem for us, but i'm proud that after

investing nearly $3 billion in law enforcement since i've been governor our crime rates are trending downward, particularly violent crime. a place like new york city had the lowest rate, -- rep. bell: gun violence is a concern, is that safe to say? gov. hochul: it is absolutely a concern. rep. bell: when local law enforcement and federal law enforcement work together to curb gun violence, which protect all of us and all of our families, i don't hear republicans complaining about the fact that local law enforcement is not as literally barred, until the supreme court overturned this, barred from working with federal officials. i think it is just about hypocrisy to suggest in this situation that you should be forced to take the finite resources that you have to do the federal government's job. that's my time, i yield back.

>> chair recognizes major sessions from texas. rep. sessions: to our friends, mr. walz, welcome back. the opportunity we have to date to talk about this brings up a lot of issues. i think we all understand and we know this, there are over 600,000 migrant children that cross the border without supervision from 2020 forward. 600,000 children -- we are sitting here arguing about a lot of things, but during the biden administration they took no steps, none, to effect -- this is from an ig report -- they were unprepared, they didn't know what they were doing,, they didn't check they just took people's word for it. and we still have these -- of those 233 migrant children were

never even given dates to appear in immigration court. no dates, by the biden administration. come on in, here you go. i would suggest to you that each of you are participatory for bringing people because of your wo rds, your words of new york is open, illinois business, we want you to cook -- illinois is open for business, we want you to come, we want you to be here. terrible things have happened in our country as a result of a false promise. i know you are perfectly willing to pay millions of dollars to people out of your own coffers, but the bottom line is they came to texas and other areas, and it caused a great deal of carnage and harm. and these migrants are in trouble. they are in trouble the entire pathway to be taken advantage of and to cause harm not tested

himself, but other the -- not just to themselves, but other people. i would suggest to you that all three of you have encouraged people to come, and the numbers are stunning about the numbers of not just people that got caught, but those people that came here who have criminal records, criminal records, and they appear on terrorist watch lists. and i would ask each of you, are you aware that when you put your open come to america sign, come to the state of minnesota,, to illinois, come to new york, are you aware you were doing that where there would not be a background check, where there would be people who would openly hear this who were criminals and terrorists, and they evaded this process and overwhelmed law enforcement? you created a gold rush. you created a rush whereby people came.

and the entire pathway is littered with not only brand-new areas -- the number of communities that now participate under 280g has exploded. and that is because it is the cartel, drug cartels' plan to have someone in every single city around america. in texas it used to be dallas, houston, san antonio, austin, maybe ft. worth and el paso. now it is smaller city even in the congressional district i represent. they brought their marketing team with them because there are people who still owe the cartels. this is not a new story. when vice president biden spoke about receiving a briefing from dea understanding there were people that had to pay off the cartels for being here, each and

every one of you have participated. each and everyone of you have put a green light out. please come, be with us, we'll take care of you. and it is because carnage. governor walz? gov. walz: well, thank you, congressman. first of all, i think the idea of a nation of immigrants -- rep. sessions: illegal. we bring in a million people that legally go through a process, know what our rules are, we do background checks. we are talking about millions of people know background check. gov. walz: we need to make sure the legal process is done and those who should be here aren't. rep. sessions: ok, that is your viewpoint now. that is not what has been said in the past. that is not what governor hochul said at the period of time people were flooding in governor pritzker? gov. pritzker: thank you, congressman. as a great-grandson of an

immigrant to this country, i can tell you that my views about immigration are that it is a positive for this nation in general. rep. sessions: legally. gov. pritzker: legal immigration. the talk about what has happened the last 40 years if not much longer -- rep. sessions: when we go the last four? we have never had anything like last four. let's not put this into a context of history. let's put it under u.s. governor, your public comments, governor walz's comments, governor hochul's public comments to encourage people to break the law, to come through my state and because carnage, and drug cartels to have people who have an organization everywhere where communities have to have a 287g problem because they have people staying where they have never stayed before. gov. pritzker: that mischaracterizes things i have said. let me be clear, we have had 40 years of failure of the board and failure of immigration

policy. we will talk about the last four years. there were people who came to the border, because the federal government decided there is law that allows this -- rep. sessions: is not law. it is a presidential directive. gov. pritzker: fair enough. we are not in charge of the water in illinois -- rep. sessions: you encouraged knowing there would be tens of thousands of children -- gov. pritzker: we had the thousand people who came from texas because they were shift to us. i was in favor of helping texas find a way to provide for them. we as a nation should be welcoming people to this country. rep. sessions: not illegally. that is the difference, and you need to say that. mr. chairman, i know my time is up. i would like to ask unanimous consent to enter into the record the department of homeland security management report, august 19, 2024, march 2025,

where unaccompanied alien children -- >> without objection, so ordered. the chair britt nice is the ranking member for unanimous consent. rep. lynch: i, too, of unanimous consent request for an article from "nation" magazine entitled "trump wants thousands of migrant children to represent themselves." >> without objection, so ordered. she recognizes ms --chair recognizes ms. tlaib. rep. tlaib: thank you, mr. chair. to all of our witnesses, thank you for being here. yes or no, do you believe in due process no matter immigration status? gov. walz: i do. gov. pritzker: i do. gov. hochul: yes. rep. tlaib: what if they didn't vote for you? gov. pritzker: i still support them. rep. tlaib: they disagree with you on climate, lgbtq?

gov. pritzker: we protect everyone in our state.rep. tlaib: what about palestinian human rights? gov. pritzker: yes. we have palestinian-american publishing -- rep. tlaib: i'm aware of that. governor hochul? gov. hochul: yes, i do. rep. tlaib: mahmoud khalil is still in detention -- this is important for the year is a legal permanent resident and was kidnapped three months ago. one of the things i want to do if i make, chairman, submit for the record a letter from mahmoud khalil to his son, who was born while he was kidnapped and illegally detained by our country. chair comer: without objection, so ordered. rep. tlaib: i will read a little bit of what he said. "i waited on the other line, end

of the phone, as your mother labor to bring into this world." do you understand they had to put the phone next to his wife birthing his job while he was illegally detained? "i listened to your paint breaths, her pain breathse, during your first moments i buried my face in my arms and kept my voice low so the 70 other men sleeping in this concrete room would not seek my cloudy eyes or hear my voice catch." the cruelty of what is happening in our country. everyone, to all my colleagues should understand the human toll on separation of families. read this letter, take a moment. maybe, governor hochul, sometimes i feel like because he is palestinian you didn't speak enough, and i say that as a palestinian-american serving in congress. we need to always support due

process for everyone and no matter if you disagree with them politically or not. the judge and said they might release him on friday. you should use this opportunity, governor hochul, to redeem yourself and welcome that decision. i urge you to all protect your constituents' constitutional rights no matter if you disagree with them politically, including the right to boycott -- right, governor pritzker? gov. pritzker: including the right to protest, boycott -- rep. tlaib: that's right. this is a person already on a plane to columbia. he is from southwest detroit. he was on his way to a field trip while local police racially profiled him and said he don't speak english, let me call border patrol. he spoke english just fine. that set in motion to separate him from his mother and his community. he was 3.5 credits away from graduating high school. to us he was our son. our son.

he was not a criminal. he was trying to do the right thing. he had attorneys at a nonprofit legal agency. you know, governors, i think about him and his trip and he is there with all his friends and he is trying to experience this beautiful thing we all have experienced. what what makes me angry about the fact that he went on this flight, he is probably in colombia right now without his family, without his school community, without his classmates, is that many of my colleagues on the other side of dale and maybe some of mine, their donors benefit from a broken and inhumane immigration system. the president of the united states benefited financially, personally, by having a broken immigration system that keeps our immigrant neighbors in a broken system, that doesn't allow them to come out of the shadows. why? because that's cheap labor. let's be honest. they are arresting dishwashers,

people at home depot at work! in their donors benefit. you know it restaurant industry benefits. if they wanted to fix this immigration system, they would go to the people that employ them. and we know it. now detention centers -- guess who is going to benefit from private detention centers and holding our immigrant neighbors? their donors. so shame on us in bringing these governors here when we know exactly what is happening here. this is all for profit, all for cruelty, and fear and division. fix our economic system in our country! people are starving! people can't afford basic needs! and you are ripping our loved ones away from us because you don't have the courage to fix our broken immigration system. it's been inhumane for decades. shame on us, both democrats and republicans, for not doing what is right in the chamber and what is right for the american people and making sure we are not separating families. with that, mr. chair, i yield.

chair comer: chair recognizes mr. palmer from alabama. rep. palmer: under article six of the constitution, the supremacy clause, by declaring your state sanctuary states, you declare your intent to violate federal law. are you aware that illegal aliens with no ties to terrorist organizations are residing in the united states? yes or no? governor walz? gov. walz: i don't have firsthand knowledge -- rep. palmer: you should have goo governor pritzker? gov. pritzker: i know that has been alleged, i don't know -- rep. palmer: you should have. gov. hochul: my joint to rozen task force -- rep. palmer: you know or you don't. gov. hochul: we are aware. rep. palmer: that amazing, considering that border patrol reported illegal aliens with ties to terrorist organizations.

2.2 million estimated -- we have no idea how many known terrorists are in our country. do you support the arrest and deportation of illegal aliens with ties to terrorist organizations, yes or no? gov. walz: if you process is given, certainly. gov. pritzker: exactly. we need to do process before we arrest people. rep. palmer: yes or no? gov. hochul: anyone involved in a crime -- rep. palmer: ma'am, yes or no . you cannot give a straight answer, and the answer is you are giving safe harbor to people with ties to terrorist organizations. are you aware of that? let me tell you, you're shielding members of known terrorist organizations such as ms-13, the 18th street gang. those are designated terrorist organizations.

these are the people responsible for bringing fentanyl in that is killed along with other drugs over 1000 -- 100,000 people per year. we are no longer in a war on drugs can we are involved in a war with drugs. these are casualties. are you aware that the department of homeland security identified over 400 illegal aliens who were smuggled into the united states with the help of an affiliate of isis? are you aware of that, governor walz? gov. walz: congressman, i don't have direct knowledge of that. rep. palmer: i will help you. mr. chairman, i would like to enter into the record an article from nbc news. "dhs edifies over 500 migrant born in the united states by an i.s.-affiliated human smuggling network." without a problem? -- is that a problem?

chair comer: without objection, so ordered. gov. pritzker: none of us want to risk in this country. rep. palmer: then why are you shielding people here from being picked up by ice agents, referring to this as a gestapo organization? i never want to get up on another morning, like i did on september 11, 2001. there are people in this country who are here with the full intent to do us harm. they came across our borders illegally. 358 of them crossed the northern border into new york. not all of them into new york, but some of them came through new york. there is arms smuggling across the canadian border into new york. and you are shielding these people. are you aware that if just one half of 1% of the estimated 15

million, 14.7 million to be exact, that came into our country illegally during the biden administration, if just one half of 1% are tied to criminal organizations or terrorist organizations, that constitutes more than the combined active-duty forces of the army and marines? does that not strike u.s. something that should be of great concern to us? gov. hochul: since you raised in new york, i would like to answer. we cooperate fully with all investigations, particularly terrorists -- rep. palmer: how do you know, governor hochul, they are terrorists if you don't allow people to be picked up who came here illegally to at least give an account for the presence? how do you know if they are not part of that 400 we know came in through an isis-affiliated human smuggling operation? you don't know. you are not even looking into that. gov. hochul: you are pointing to

an abject failure of the federal government to do its job -- rep. palmer: i'm pointing out that your sanctuary policies constitute a threat to our national security. gov. hochul: we cooperate in all criminal investigations could always have, always will -- rep. palmer: against federal government attempts to enforce federal law that i think constitutes a threat to our national security, and you are in violation of federal law -- gov. hochul: that is 100% false. rep. palmer: george's for obstruction should -- charges for obstruction should be brought against each one of you for doing this. i will leave that to the department of justice. i yield back. chair comer: chair recognizes congresswoman crockett. >> that was intimidation of the witness. chair comer: do you have point of inquiry? rep. ocasio-cortez: raising the prospect of prosecution is intimidating the witness.

rep. crockett: thank you so much to our governors, and i apologize for the abuse you are facing in this committee that is supposed to be about waste, fraud, and abuse, i also apologize for wasting your time, because this is nothing more than political theater. again, this committee is supposed to be about waste, fraud, and abuse. we did not have to have this faux creation of doge. the committee itself, that is our job. what i want to talk about is something the american people may want to know, which is economically how is this impacting them compete failed immigration policies that are only put on so they can have a show because we have a reality show president who seemingly still believes that this is all about tv instead of real lives? let me talk about something quickly because i want to clarify something, because i believe all of you understand the importance of something like tourism. are you aware, any of you, as to whether or not tourism in the united states is anticipated to

decrease to the extent that we are estimated to lose $12.5 billion in international vendor spending in the year 2025? gov. hochul: i can answer. as the tourism capital of the country, tourism is already down. it is now in the north country, where the canadians refuse to come over because of the hostility toward their country. it is happening in new york city, it is happening at sporting events, our theater. there is a ripple effect through the entire economy because of the change in attitude in our country that once welcome people from all over the world to visit and re-create and live here now feels like a very hostile place to them. it is going have an economic impact on our bottom line. rep. crockett: let's talk about it a little bit more. i'm supposed to have a number of fifa in dallas and i fully anticipate b-1 of a problem because i've been receiving phone calls that people don't feel safe coming here, and it is

not the immigrants, it is this government that is making them feel unsafe. let me also do this, because they love to cherry pick. they can find any one person who has been killed and if they have been killed by an immigrant, then darn it, everything immigrant is going out and they are killers. that is the problem. they don't want to talk about white supremacy. i don't know how many hearings we going to have about the fact that the resident is one immigrant that killed this one person, and no, i'm not excusing any killings by them for white supremacists. they didn't have hearings on buffalo, it would've happened there. we didn't have a hearing on el paso and what happened there. we didn't have a hearing on charleston and what happened there. interesting they like to pick and choose because it seems like they want to pal around with white supremacists so they don't want to talk about other things. economically, i want to make this point again, because governor pritzker, you with the beneficiary of a lot of things from the state of texas. a lot of people believe that republicans are fiscally

responsible, but instead they are physically irresponsible, because what he spent was a whopping $221 million transporting people from texas to your state. something tells me you could have done something else with that $221 million. in addition to that, i know there has been some conversations about what is going on in l.a., and they want to say it is riots because they didn't want people to keep talking about the epstein files or whatever drama was popping off between the president and his little friend. they wanted to change the conversation to immigration because they feel like, well, the polling is in our benefit. but let me tell you something, if they cared about making sure we were going to be fiscally responsible, they would tell the american people it cost them $134 million to send the national guard to l.a. for the "riots" that the governor didn't ask for, nor did the mayor of l.a. ask for, and they sent them

over there and they say they care about our service members, yet they sent them and they were laying on the floor. they did not provide for food. i don't know why we would believe that, number one, they want to fix this. they don't want to fix this, because the brokenness it is a feature, not a flaw of the system, because it is beneficial to them when it comes to campaigning if they can't stoke fear, and why are they going to, say, have anybody vote for them? that is what people are doing, voting out of fear. ms. perryman, we know each other a little will, and you've got a lot of grease and it seems like we need a lot to understand the constitution. i want to make this point, there is a certain person that was afforded due process, but let's save, say, donald trump had been charged with all of these cases he got charged with in four different jurisdictions. if you wasn't afforded due process, there could've been a

possibility that he would've been locked up in front somewhere. ms. perryman: that would've been a possibility. rep. crockett: and maybe we wouldn't have a tariff war and all the other nonsense. but nonetheless, he was afforded due process, and regardless of the opposition, democrats and republicans and independents i thought thought that due process should be afforded to everybody, even him. ms. perryman: due process is for everyone. rep. crockett: the fifth amendment does not suggest for people who are americans. ms. perryman: it's not it's for everyone. rep. crockett: pretty simple, i don't know why we are having issues. i thank you, and i yield. chair comer: the chair recognizes dr. gosar -- mr. palmer has unanimous consent request. rep. palmer: 200 into the record -- to enter into the record subcommittee on federal law enforcement from -- chair comer: without objection.

>> mr. chair, i asked unanimous consent. can i please enter into the record a statement from senators cavanagh and beyer in response to the detention? chair comer: without objection, so ordered. now the chair recognizes dr. gosar from arizona. rep. gosar: governors, good afternoon. would you agree that good process builds good politics? you agree? gov. pritzker: yes, sir. gov. walz: i agree. gov. hochul: i would agree with that. rep. gosar: good. would you support the disclosure of federal funding to nonprofits directly or indirectly? governor pritzker? gov. pritzker: federal funding of nonprofits generally? there is nonprofits -- they do report -- rep. gosar: well, they do, kind

of. we don't get that, it is all blocked out. you can't make good decisions if you don't have it, would you agree? gov. pritzker: all of it is available publicly, yes. rep. gosar: i will quote u.s. supreme court associate justice louis brandeis. "in a government of law, justice will be imperiled if it fails to uphold the law scrupulously. our government is potent, an omnipresent teacher. for good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. if the government becomes a lot bigger, it--becomes a lawbreaker, it invites contempt for the law, it invites every man to become a law unto himself, it invites anarchy." governor pritzker, do you agree with louis brandeis, this quote? gov. pritzker: i do. it is what president trump has done, though. he has broken the law -- rep. gosar: governor hochul? gov. hochul: we follow the laws

federal and state. rep. gosar: ok. so why would i ask you about nonprofit financing and this quote from louis brandeis? what if i were to present you evidence that u.s. citizens and even foreign citizens on foreign soil were coaching illegal aliens how to bypass u.s. immigration law? hmm. let me remind you, as soon as an alien crosses the border illegally, they become criminals under federal law. sanctuary policies plate league or the supremacy clause mr. palmer expressed of the u.s. constitution and circumvents immigration law to harbor criminals. as of july 2024, under the biden-harris administration, there were 660,000 illegal aliens with criminal histories in the united states. i'm talking about everyone, not

just criminals. once you violate the law when you enter our country illegally, your aiding and abetting illegal aliens, a felony under title viii, punishable up to 20 years in prison or life in prison or even the death penalty. aiding and abetting someone's death. which all americans know has happened. wouldn't you want to even err on the aspect of caution? i would. i really would. now, governor hochul, do you consider yourself a conservationist? i'm one of those. gov. hochul: i am particularly fond of new york state's great part, so i love nature. rep. gosar: so why would you allow illegal aliens destroy parks -- i was there, i see it all. even putting people in the process?

gov. hochul: i would hardly call it a part. it was a place people is to train for military exercises -- rep. gosar: but somebody found it as a park. gov. hochul: technically it is under the department of interior for the rep. gosar: governor walz, do you know the estimated size of two milligrams? gov. walz: i think generally, yeah. rep. gosar: you can barely see, tip of a pencil. that is a legal dose of professional, which are running mate harris's open border policies welcomed into the united states. to the millions of lives lost in fentanyl, an all-out assault on our broken borders, they do. yes or no, do you support tribal communities? gov. walz: july support tribal communities? under pl-280? i certainly do. rep. gosar: i do.

what about the transnational criminal cartels across tribal lands? this epidemic. governors, this is my promise to you, i will work tirelessly to president trump to secure the border, build a wall, stop the flow of fentanyl enjoy nation, and i will see that -- into our nation, and i will see that you are held accountable. we need someone to uphold the rule of law. i pray for the cv of our immigration, ice officers, and i yield back. chair comer: ms. crockett has unanimous consent request. rep. crockett: yes, mr. chair, i would like to submit a unanimous consent request -- the study says undocumented immigrants paid almost $100 billion in taxes. chair comer: without objection, so ordered. rep. crockett: my second is from reuters -- white supremacists behind the present of extremist

murders in 2022. chair comer: without objection mr. lynch. rep. lynch: i have unanimous consent requests. "judge rebukes explanation for ignoring court order." chair comer: without objection. rep. lynch: "the judge upbraids the expedition for disregarding the order." second from nbc news, " sports outright and alarm." chair comer: without objection. ms. presley for massachusetts. rep. pressley: thank you to our democratic governors for being here today. his hearing is an utter and complete waste of your time. it is a waste of taxpayer dollars. republicans have called you here alleging that you are circumventing federal law.

you are not. but you know who is the poster child who is violating federal law daily? the current occupant of the oval office, donald j. trump. to make matters worse, these hard-working governors had to leave their states to be here in a moment when their work is incredibly difficult. because donald j. trump and his accomplices and co-conspirators, who -- by the way, donald trump doesn't give a damn about your constituents and he doesn't even respective the cu hold in congress as a coequal branch of government-- seat you hold in congress is a coequal branch of government. donald trump and his accomplices, many of whom are in this room, you are hell-bent on tearing food away from babies and medical care from elders. these democratic governors have to stand in the gap and figure out how to stretch budgets and modify programs to keep their constituents fed and alive.

constituents like this precious little so that i wish i didn't have to leave to be here, layla, who drew me this rainbow, a five-year-old with a rare liver disease, had a successful liver transplant at boston medical center. thank god, she is driving today. but let-- thriving today. but layla will need immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of her life that are paid for by medicaid. without medicaid, i shudder to think what might happen to layla. but for sure a family would go bankrupt trying to do everything to keep their baby life. that is what these governors -- that is the situation they have been put in because your bigass ugly bill, and if it comes to pass. and they are dealing with the fallout of this white house pulling federal grants recklessly.

grown men throwing temper tantrums. so again, let me be plain. the trump administration is breaking the law, not these democratic governors. ms. perryman, how many legal challenges is the trump administration currently facing? ms. perryman: i believe over 300 right now. rep. pressley: can you explain how litigation like this has helped to shield an event vulnerable communities? ms. perryman: absolutely. without our courts upholding the rule of law and the rights of people, right now there could be federal funds frozen across the country that would endanger things like headstart and meals on wheels and community safety programs, including community safety programs to help prosecutors and law enforcement in states and communities across the country. the administration has terminated over $800 million in office of justice programs grants that we are having to challenge in court. in the list goes on and on and

on. rep. pressley: thank you, ms. perryman, thank you for the good work. in case after case we are waiting. trump tried to end birthright citizenship, block he tried to end asylum, blocked. because we are winning in court, republicans are trying to change the rules to rig the system. restriction on enforcement would restrict the judiciary from enforcing court orders and holding government officials accountable. this is an intentional and deliberate attempt to undermine the courts so the trump administration can break the law with impunity. republicans, ms. perryman, pretend to care about law and order, but this provision is the exact opposite. what message does this send to people who count on the courts to protect the rights? ms. perryman: it's just the people who voted for the bill don't want the american people protected and they don't want them to access courts and the ability to protect their rights. rep. pressley: don't want the

american people protected. that part. allegedly all in the name of law and order and safety. this is about nothing but power and control and abuse of power and terror, which makes everyone less safe. the shame and the sham of it all. i yield back. chair comer: the chair recognizes mr. grothman from wisconsin. rep. grothman: i hear about illinois being part of wisconsin. i had builders in my house talking about building in southern wisconsin to get out of illinois. if anything, we are very generous country. right now, every year, it hundred 50,000 -- 850,000 new citizens are -- another 8 million new citizens are sworn

in a naturalized in this country. i think we have about another 500,000 people coming in this country on work visas, and a little under that on student visas. so we are very generous about allowing people in this country. i should have said 850,000 people sworn in. in any event, we really -- it's not impossible to get here legally. nevertheless, we have a lot of people every year overstaying visas or still sneaking across the border. the question i'm going to ask you guys, and gal, do you believe we should have immigration laws in this country? we will start down the line. governor walz? gov. walz: congressman, the question is should we have immigration laws? yes, we should. rep. grothman: governor pritzker ? gov. pritzker: they are very important. we should have more robust

immigration in this country and it should be done under a law. rep. grothman: and ms. hochul? gov. hochul: yes, of course we should have immigration laws. in fact, we do. rep. grothman: when people come in the country and break those laws, do you believe they should be enforced? let's say people, this country, gulf of mexico, pacific ocean, however they come here. should they be spun around and sent back out of the country, or should we just allow them to stay here? gov. walz: it depends, congressman, if they are coming on an asylum claim -- rep. grothman: assume they are coming on an asylum claim and the claim has been rejected. gov. walz: if the judge denies there asylum claim, they should not be able -- rep. grothman: governor pritzker -- say a different way -- overstaying their work visas, student visa, should they be allowed to stay or should they

be removed? gov. pritzker: given due process. due process is required. rep. grothman: governor hochul? gov. hochul: following due process, the federal authority has the authority to make those -- the federal government has authority to make those removal -- rep. grothman: should people here illegally get welfare benefits? food stamps, low income housing. gov. walz: should they get assistance? we provide for all of our people in minnesota. rep. grothman: ok, so if your statement is somebody comes here, asylum claim, whatever, they should be able to get low income housing benefits, almost free rent, free food, free health care? gov. walz: i believe in states' rights and and in some states -- rep. grothman: that is what you believe you should do. governor pritzker? gov. pritzker: federal government's job to determine

welfare benefits. we have hundreds of thousands of people in the state of illinois who are undocumented but have been living, abiding by the law, paying taxes -- rep. grothman: so are they -- do you believe it is right that if they come here, they should get free housing, free medical care, free food? gov. pritzker: it depends on the circumstances i'm just explaining that we have millions of people across the united states who are here and were here long before -- rep. grothman: i know all that. the question is you don't have a problem with them getting benefits? gov. pritzker: law-abiding -- we are talking about people were adding -- rep. grothman: not that they are not working, but either way, you have no problem giving them those benefits? gov. pritzker: we provide benefits to people across -- rep. grothman: ms. hochul, do you believe people come here who are not citizens come here --

they should all be getting food, health care, housing? gov. hochul: depending on which law you are referring to, and circumstances we provide these services, but they are not universal. rep. grothman: will, do most people, your average person overstaying the student visa in new york, do think they should be getting food stamps, housing, medical cap? -- care? gov. hochul: we provide medicaid for individuals who are senior citizens -- rep. grothman: the question to people who are not citizens who are overstaying a student or work visa. gov. hochul: people are making their own weight in the state of new york. i have corner thousand open jobs -- rep. grothman: you are not answering the question. i am taking it to mean -- gov. hochul: if it is for work authorization, let's put them to work. rep. grothman: but you refused to answer the question. if someone is otherwise eligible for low income housing or food stands for medical care in new

york, do you believe they should be entitled to those benefits? gov. hochul: there is not a blanket answer. it depends on which provision of the social services law. in some cases it is allowed and in some cases it is not. rep. grothman: ok, thank you. chair comer: chair recognizes ms. simon from arizona. rep. simon: thank you, and i'm hopeful i'm also able to go over my time. chair comer: i'm sorry, california. rep. simon: and i hope i'm allowed to go over my time by proximally 45 seconds. chair comer: well, i've been very fair. mr. frost went over a minute and a half -- rep. simon: i'm just asking. chair comer: i didn't say you could, but go ahead. rep. simon: thank you, mr. chair, and thank you, ranking member lynch. i'm so honored to be here today and have this important conversation. we talked about victim advocacy

in this place -- i was a victim advocate. 8133 in san francisco for many years. and had to sit with families who buried their folks. sitting literally figuring out how to mend together obituaries. i work with young people who have been victims of gun violence and literally have had to scrub blood off the streets. there is nothing anyone can say to a family, i get it, that is grieving. we have a lot of work to do not just in this country, around the welcome to deter violence could -- around the world, to deter violence. i come from the fourth largest economy in the world with the best public education system in the country. at california-berkeley, we lead some of the research keeping folks here and your relatives alive. that research is being attacked by this administration, but i digress.

i have a number of questions today. but this hearing has been so difficult. not only was i a victim advocate for many years working with folks who had witnessed and been victimized by rape, by murder, i also let the lawyers committee for civil rights in the san francisco bay area founded by jfk, and our asylum clinic, our asylum clinic honored, it honored to the work of his country-of this- country bite supporting folks who came here escaping purity and violence to be met by an immigration system day after day that's that interface -- that spat in their face. i'm thankful to members of the private bar and community lawyers who are doing their american duty by supporting people leaving tyranny. i have one question. i am concerned that we are deflating the conversation around public safety it is my understanding that the

current administration -- is question good to you, --this question goes to you, ms. perryman -- has deducted or stop payment of upwards of a billion dollars it public safety funding around the country. with my time remaining, can you talk to us a little bit about this very hypocritical moment in time where we are uplifting public safety and yet we are taking resources away from communities, police department, community safety leaders, organizations that are taking guns out of kids' hands? give us a little bit of the favor and talk to me about what money has been taken away from communities under this administration. ms. perryman: since january the administration is abruptly terminated a range of funding and grants for community programs across the country including grants under the office of justice programs, which is obviously a law that president reagan assigned. -- signed. there has been over 800 million

in grants funding abruptly terminated that we have to litigate right now. they have also cut off funding for programs that help lawyers and law enforcement become trained in what they are doing in communities across the country to keep people safe. i know that one of the colleagues mentioned terrorism. and as part of the administration's broader federal funding frees that we had to block in the first weeks of this administration, that remains blocked by a federal court, officials from states like arizona and oregon swore declarations in court talking about the risk to counterterrorism funding that they were concerned about. those are some examples. our team is literally in court every single day -- rep. simon: ms. perryman, would you say it is of your knowledge that police chiefs, there grants have been frozen? ms. perryman: yes, many people in community safety programs. rep. simon: taking way literally

upwards of a billion dollars in local public safety funding including violence prevention and gun safety programs, would you say this administration is making us more safe or less safe? ms. perryman: let's say. rep. simon: any other governors? gov. pritzker: we have programs we work with the federal government between cities, law enforcement, federal government law enforcement data being 20 part. you have drug task forces, gun taskforces. this is making us less safe. rep. simon: grants for rape kits and investigations, the disablement of the department of education, including the office of civil rights that investigated rape and sexual assault on college campuses, decimated. i would agree that our administration is making us less safe as a thank you, and i yield back. thank you, chairman, for the extra time. chair comer: chair recognizes mr. perry from pennsylvania. rep. perry: sad to say i'm

disappointed today. governors, ms. perryman, welcome to the house of representatives. great to have you here and hear about your thoughts and views of things. governor pritzker, you said numerous times now that the president broke the law. you are an attorney, northwestern, that where you went to law school? gov. pritzker: commitment, yes -- congressman, yes, sir. rep. perry: can you cite which law he has broken? gov. pritzker: there are congressionally approved appropriations this president has cut off and we have had to go to court. we have had to go to court to have it reinstated. rep. perry: it is illegal. if you have the go to court, it is illegal, and it is still working its way through the courts -- gov. pritzker: it's been ruled on already -- rep. perry: it's the law at that moment until the next judge rules on, ok?

you are the attorney here, i am not you not saying he broke the law regarding the rights in all sent-- riots in los angeles, or are you saying that? gov. pritzker: that hasn't been ruled upon you i believe he did, but that is not what i'm referring to -- congressional appropriations -- rep. perry: because the implication of what this hearing is about is you are saying he broke the law regarding the mobilization in los angeles, and you are not saying that. i want to make that clear. gov. pritzker: what he is doing is overstepping his rep. perry: ok, send me ask you a couple questions because i want to go through a little walk down memory lane in history for you. in 1794, george washington mobilized the military. are you familiar with the whiskey rebellion? gov. pritzker: yes, sir. rep. perry: was washington beyond his scope? did he overstep?

gov. pritzker: what about inciting riots on january 6 at the capital? what you are asking -- rep. perry: you're saying he's breaking the law. gov. pritzker: yes. rep. perry: however abraham lincoln, 1862, did he do it? >> the abusive powers -- rep. perry: did he do it? john kennedy -- >> if you don't want an answer from me, i'm not going to even bother. rep. perry: 1967 and 1968. you are saying that is against the law, with the president is now doing? you are the attorneys here. i'm not talking to governor walz here because he is not an attorney. he called himself a knucklehead so i am leaving him out of this right now. for you guys familiar with title x of the u.s. code.

>> conditions under which a president may usurp the authority and -- invasion or insurrection. i would argue that neither one of those -- rep. perry: i would refer you to section 253. i am not going to bore everyone with reading it for you but you are wrong but to accuse the president -- quite honestly, that is the least you have accused him of. you have also -- he has been accused of being a dictator, maybe not by year, and if you are willing to say he is not one, we would love to hear it but also that the law enforcement agents are nazis with estoppel like tactics. governor walz, you mentioned that in a commencement speech. let me ask you -- i'm going to ask three of you this. it arises from the power under section 103 a-3.

sections -- are those things laws that should be followed and enforced? are you ok with those things being laws and enforce or not? >> for federal immigration laws, they are designed to be enforced by the federal government. rep. perry: so you are ok with that, each one of you? >> i don't know what you read. i don't have that in front of me. rep. perry: these are laws that are on the books, immigration and nationality sacked and those are sections of them. >> with the gentlemen provide copies of that for the witnesses? if you are going to cite a law coming to provide a copy for the witnesses typically. >> out of order. rep. perry: two of these governors are attorneys, sir. i am not. they should know this and i shouldn't.

let's just assume that these are laws -- let's just assume i'm not lying to you, that these are laws on the book right now. are you ok with them being enforced? >> you might be asking us a lot. governors don't get to deal in hypotheticals. rep. perry: these are current laws regarding immigration and naturalization. >> we abide by all of those laws. we abide by federal law. state law. >> we follow all state and federal laws. rep. perry: is there any ice detainer you will reject, that you will instructor law enforcement community or corrections facilities and enforcement community in your states to reject, any one for any reason under the laws i decided? >> every jurisdiction in minnesota follows the law. rep. perry: every single one? >> feel free to answer the

question, governor. >> we follow all laws. rep. perry: but you don't. >> in minnesota -- rep. perry: we hope you will but you archery don't and you haven't which is why we have this mess. i yelled. >> will you allow the witness to answer? >> that would be great, thanks. >> thank you,. thank you so much, governors, for being here. i am the proud daughter of immigrants who fled an authoritarian regime and it is especially devastating as a first-generation american to watch donald trump's reckless, cruel, and radical policies transform this country into an authoritarian regime. stir perry mocked us for referring to donald trump as a dictator so let's run through the list. donald trump has, since he was inaugurated, hardened january 6 insurrectionists, defied supreme court orders and attacked the judiciary, dictator.

unilaterally abolished congressionally chartered federal agencies. dictator. attacked the free press. sounds like a dictator. kidnapped people off of the streets and deported them to foreign prisons without due process. sounds like a dictator. defunded higher education. dictator. written law firms and the legal profession. dictator. this weekend, he is spending tens of millions of dollars to host a massive military parade for his birthday. is this north korea? on top of all of that, our time twice impeached president -- our twice impeached president with a 34 counts convicted felony president who is not a king has deployed the active-duty military in american cities and he has spent $134 million to do so. he has their guns trained on

american citizens without the consent of local authorities or the state's governor to purposefully generate chaos and provoke a reaction. meanwhile, we have republicans on this side of the aisle asking governors of states about bathrooms. this is the most dystopian, horrific episode of black mirror i have ever seen. to our witnesses, the governors, thank you so much for being here today. i agree with my colleagues who say this is a waste of your time . you have been instrumental in fighting back against cruel and illegal trump administration actions. i represent an externally diverse district, one of the most diverse in the country where more than six to four then witches are spoken and i can tell you the actions of this administration towards immigrants and immigrant communities is a blatant abuse of power but more importantly, these steps are harming our economy and national security so i want to ask you a little bit about that. governor walz, can you share the ways in which immigrants

contribute economically to your state? >> thank you, congresswoman. there is no aspect in minnesota life where they are not involved, whether it is economically in the impact that they make, whether it is involved in the arts and the culture that minnesota is very proud of, whether they are in higher professions. medical students, engineers, and minnesota is proud to have an immigrant heritage. all the rest of us came through immigration. so the impact is widespread. it is intertwined. it may have been the norwegians and the swedes and the somalis but it is the same story, coming to america for a chance to contribute to a better state. >> thank you so much, governor walz. according to the american community survey, immigrants paid $382 billion in federal taxes and 196 point $3 billion

in state and local taxes in 2022. undocumented immigrants using individual tax identification numbers paid $59.4 billion in federal and $13.6 billion in state and local taxes in 2022. governor pritzker, you recently called immigrants the anchors of their communities. how does donald trump's mass deportation project harm the security of your state and instill fear throughout illinois communities? >> thank you very much, congresswoman. let me be clear, the home rates that occurred in the first week of the trump administration drove people into hiding and ruined the entire area of commerce for our mexican american community where people who were documented, people who are citizens, actually, had to go into hiding because they know people who are undocumented that did not want to get picked up and having to talk about somebody that they know that is undocumented. you could see it was a ghost

town. it was a ghost town. we have had people who are working for decades who have raised families, who are paying taxes in my state, who have had to flee and these are good people. these are our neighbors, bringing culture and art to our communities, people who should be given an opportunity if we had good immigration laws to apply to state legally in this country and may be to become u.s. citizens. indeed, many of them have proven themselves to be may worthy than some people were already u.s. citizens. let's give them an opportunity. i can tell you it has had a profound negative impact on my state that donald trump has been attacking people who are not the problem. let's go after people, if you are talking about terrorists come on let's go after terrorists. let us know who they are and we will go arrest a terrorist any day of the week. >> and very proud to represent the state that has the statue of liberty in our harbor.

millions of migrants and immigrants have passed through including my own grandparents, and my grandfather's migrant farm worker. they are an important part of our identity, economy and the diversity of new york is what makes us so desirable for businesses large and small. they are so critical to our identity and our existence and i am really hurt -- it hurts me as the leader of a state when people are living in fear come in the shadows, people can't go to school, they can't worship, they can get health care, can't go to their senior center. what is happening has been traumatic, unnecessary. we will help every day of the week to get rid of people who commit crimes you never should have come here. that is my number one job. >> your time has expired. >> the difference is that the millions of americans who came through ellis island did so legally. i will yield to my friend from georgia. >> thank you.

governor hochul, are you a democrat? yes or no? >> i am a proud registered democrat. >> did you support joe biden for president? yes or no? >> yes, i did. >> did you support the biden administration's policies for the past four years? >> i raised my concerns in many meetings about how the border was being enforced so i rates concerns. >> stated you are a proud democrat. you supported joe biden for president. clearly, you supported the biden administration's policies. governor hochul, did you swear an oath to faithfully uphold new york's constitution and laws? courts are certainly dead. >> 2017, new york became a sanctuary state when governor cuomo signed executive order 170 and this states -- it directs that no state officers or employees including law enforcement officers shall disclose information to federal immigration authorities for the purpose of federal civil

immigration enforcement unless required by the law. do you support this law as governor of new york? >> yes, this pertains to civil enforcement. >> so you do enforce sanctuary policies of new york? >> i support helping law enforcement and ice. >> you support sanctuary policies that have led to the horrific murder of people, americans. fox news got it wrong. it should say monster arrested in broad daylight. rape of a 13-year-old in new york. this girl was raped at knifepoint in the park near a new york mets stadium. that is your state, governor hochul. new york hosts got it wrong and called him a migrant. that is a monster. busted and brutal beating of new york pd cops in times square are members of bloodthirsty gangs. that is your state where you support your sanctuary state laws.

also, governor hochul, do you recognize this image where a homeless woman was burned alive by an illegal alien monster? where you uphold the laws to protect these monsters in your state and then you force the new york citizens who pay taxes to pay for these people. this is the result of your sick and disgusting treasonous laws that you uphold as governor. >> new york is not a sanctuary state for criminals. >> this is my time. do you know the name lincoln riley? do you know the name lincoln riley? >> yes, i do. >> jose a bar, murdered 22-year-old lincoln riley. he is an illegal alien monster from venezuela, convicted of 10 charges. he was first arrested by the biden administration that you stated that you support. joe biden for president, right? proud democrat. first arrested at the border and released by the democrats that you support. then guess what?

he made it to new york because the biden administration flew illegals all over the country and your state was one that accepted them. he lived at the crowne plaza hotel in queens, an upscale hotel that was turned into an illegal alien shelter at the taxpayers expense. $2 million a month went to this hotel. second time he was arrested was in the state of new york for endangering a child. but he was released quickly before eyes could even issue a detainer. you support those laws. and then he flew this -- this is shocking. he flew from the state of new york to my home state in georgia and you all paid for it because why? because it was re-ticketing and that was the little gift you were giving my state by sending monsters there. cost the state of new york $5

million to $10 million a day. are you smiling at me about this? you look like you got quite a smile on your face. >> do not. >> reclaiming my time. don't you dare smile about the murder of lincoln riley. >> don't question how i look. my heart is breaking for her parents. >> the third time he was arrested was in the sanctuary city of athens, another democrat policy. and then he went on and attempted to rape lincoln riley and murdered her. he murdered her. let me explain something to you. let me explain something to you. this little girl right here would be alive today if you weren't such a treasonous governor, supporting sanctuary laws in the state of new york. this little girl would be alive today and her mother very much would like for her to be alive.

this is outrageous for anybody, anybody in this country to support, for noncitizens to be able to come in our country, be able to travel wherever they want and then make taxpayers pay to house them, feed them, and then give them a plane ticket after they had been arrested in their state? that is what you did. you are responsible for the murder of this little girl, lincoln riley. and the department of justice should prosecute you for her murder. >> objection. objection. >> i don't care how much you object and if you supported, too, you are responsible for her murder. i yelled back. >> point of order. >> the ladies time has expired. >> mr. chairman, these witnesses have been here for over four hours and they all voluntarily have been engaging with our members with reese that. they have all treated our

members with respect. >> lincoln riley is dead forever, forever. forever. they can sit there all day. quite hold on. state your point. >> i'm trying to. >> is a point of inquiry, not a debate. you had your time. >> if you would let me speak, our rules of decorum dictate our witnesses should be treated with respect and i ask you to enforce decorum and remind committee members to treat our witnesses with respect. >> our members are treating the witnesses with respect. this is not a courtroom. we engage with the witnesses and i think everybody is acting -- we have not cried, screamed when you all are criticizing the current president even though that is in the rules. all right. all right. >> mr. chairman. >> if you all flip the house and win the chairmanship, then you can do what miss crockett says she is going to do and try to

impeach trump again. >> is there any chance you would yield me 30 seconds to respond that we are heartbroken with what happened to her family? lincoln riley should be alive today and i am so sorry for what happened to her. i truly am. but this has nothing to do with our civil enforcement of the laws. we are always cooperating with criminal investigations, always have, always will, so misstating our policies is not serving the purpose of making sure we have meaningful policies that will actually move. why aren't we working together to come up with meaningful immigration to secure our borders and do vetting at the borders? >> we are going to go back. ok, governor, with all due respect, the policy of the previous administration was an open border. it was an open border and you supported that and now you are saying we need -- >> point of inquiry. whose time is it? want i will recognize you because i like you. >> thank you so much, mr.

chairman. i appreciate that. >> the border was open and you said nothing. all right. you said we had to pass legislation. donald trump secured the board on the first day. now, there's no question you all have been obstructing and criticizing and feeling to work with this administration in trying to apprehend the criminal illegals. that is what this hearing is about. it's not about theater. it's about trying to get a consensus on working with this administration to deport the criminal illegals. >> we do it every day of the week, mr. chairman. click deport the criminal illegals. >> we do it every day of the week. >> i will let miss ocasio-cortez state her point and then we will go to ro khanna. courts i was curious whose time it was but we can proceed, thank you. >> i would like to seek unanimous consent to enter into the record this tweet.

senator alex padilla from california was forcibly removed from the news conference being held by dhs. >> without objection. you have to state the title. >> this is the title. >> all right, mr. chairman, i have a unanimous consent request from msn. questionably in violation, judge says u.s. government did not follow court orders. >> so ordered. >> the next one is from rolling stone. trump has now deported multiple u.s. citizens. children with cancer. >> without objection to order. >> this is new york times. l.a. deployments of the military to cost 134 -- >> without objection till order. >> lastly, secretary hegseth will not commit to obeying the court's order on marines. >> chair recognizes mr. connor from california. >> thank, mr. chairman.

governor pritzker, i have admired your moral clarity during these times. you had a speech about 1.5 months ago where you said you would not bend the knee to any president of any party. i recommend the american people listen to that speech in its entirety. professor has said at harvard that if 3.5 percent of a population engaged in peaceful protest, that is the single best way to bring change and stand up for constitutional values. as you know, there is the no kings protests happening this weekend. i would like you to share your thoughts about what that could mean for the country. >> thank you, congressman, and let me say that peaceful protest has been the avenue for so much positive social change in this country. i think about the civil rights movement as the best example of that and it continues to be. civil rights for lgbtq people, civil rights for immigrants, etc..

i encourage people to peacefully protest and i have said that many times. i think getting out your microphones and megaphones, speaking up, speaking out, and importantly for people who can vote, go to the ballot box and vote. too many people don't do that and don't stand up and speak out because they are a little bit afraid and in this environment, i have to say, president trump has created a situation where people are afraid. they are afraid. they are afraid they are going to get targeted because that is what is happening under this administration. people are getting individually targeted when they stand up and speak out. >> thank you. governor, i thought you conducted yourself with such dignity as our vice presidential candidate and many of your former colleagues, really proud of how you ran in one of the things even people who voted for president trump said about you is he sought -- he is still decent and kind. he deals with people with respect.

what is happening in this country that we started to demonize immigrants? when i grew up in pennsylvania, it was 99% white. grew up as an indian american of hindu faith, i never felt demonized, different, make you feel like i would -- that i did not belong but something is going on where we have created a permission structure for that. how do we model the kind of decency that you have exhibited so that we become a cohesive community like this country has always been? >> congressman, thank you for the kind words. i think the people of this country expect us to do that. look, i think we can all agree that these are horrific situations that happened and have been highlighted in here. we also lift up the great success stories and i will just tell you, congressman, on tuesday night at 2:00 a.m., minnesota has the most closely divided legislature in the country, one hundred 1-100 and we passed bipartisan legislation that kept us with a balanced budget, aaa bond rating, we invested in our schools and

roads and we did it with civility. we did it with an eye to the future and we did it, republicans and democrats, with the idea that we are a nation of immigrants and people simply want to make sure that if the laws are being asked to be followed, people are being given due process. we have a model. it is our constitution. we have a model on how to do this and we have done it before and i would encourage all of us to be part of the solution rather than just continue to demonize each other. correct thank you, governor. i appreciate you speaking out about the marines being sent into my state. i was horrified. there is footage of senator padilla being shoved out. he went to ask secretary gnomic question and the police literally grabbed the senator and showed him out of the room. you know, the marines, i want to get back to the marines. the fact is we have a principle

called federalism in this country and no one in los angeles asked for the marines. no one in california asked for the marines. do people's voices not matter on what we want locally? tell me how would you -- how you would feel if marines were sent into your state or if your senators were taken by -- and pushed out of rooms. what is going on in this country? >> thank you for the question. it is disturbing that so many levels. when i served in this body years ago, to think that the marines are being deployed against fellow citizens and residents is unprecedented. now, we have different levels of law enforcement to manage crowds. that is all this is, a crowd. when it is out of control and violent, there must be consequences and that is what the police are trained to do, whether they are lapd or what we have a new york is one of the highest trained organization of top law enforcement. people put their lives on the line every day who know how to deal with crowds and protest and

if they devolve into riots but to go to the extreme of not just the national guard, which usurps the governor's authority, the governors are the commanders in chief of the national guard, but to go all the way to the u.s. military as an indication that a governor can't handle what is happening in their own streets is overkill at a level that is unconscionable and i hope we do not see this in other cities. we need to calm the situation down, get rid of the criminals. we will work together every day and leave law-abiding individuals alone. correct thank you. >> the chair recognizes -- from tennessee. >> thank you, mr. chairman. governor walz, you said as long as you are governor, immigrants will be welcome in minnesota. do you find a difference between an immigrant and illegal immigrant? >> their status. >> is there a difference?

legal status or otherwise? what's well, the legal status is different but in minnesota, we have a long tradition of welcoming. >> ice in st. paul arrested a criminal illegal alien who had been convicted for possession of child pornography on a work computer. do you still stand by your statement that ice agents are the modern-day gestapo? >> ice agents need to do a job within the realm of due process and the law. wearing masks, no notice of who they are and picking people up off the streets without that due process, i stand that that is wrong and a road towards authoritarianism. i stand by that. quick to have one rule -- i have a couple rules in my office but one of them is never compare anything dealing with the holocaust except for the holocaust. i think it desensitizes people about what really went on in nazi germany by making any comparisons there.

does minnesota receive federal tax dollars for any programs to assist illegal immigrants? >> minnesota federal tax dollars are appropriated by you in congress and then we use state dollars under our laws. >> during the biden administration, $1.5 billion was sent to sanctuary states to pay for their illegal immigration policies, housing, health care. governor hochul, our -- our crimes committed by illegal aliens preventable in your opinion? >> our law enforcement is highly trained in how to identify prospective perpetrators but certainly, we try to prevent crimes and we also worked to resolve them and make sure if there is crime committed that people find their time in court and are incarcerated. that is how it has always worked. >> illegal aliens are unlawfully president -- present in the united states by definition. they should not be here in the

first place to commit crimes, don't you agree with that? >> it depends on the circumstances of coming over. their civil violations and there's also criminal so it's a federal government determination on the status of an individual. >> if they are not here, the crime is not going to be committed. >> >> they are not going to be here, the crime will not be committed. >> if there was no one in our country, no crimes would be committed. i suppose you could say the same thing. >> a young man in my district lost their son to an illegal alien and i can guarantee you if that illegal alien, if we had followed the laws of the land and they have been some enforcement that that young man would be here today. let me ask you this. why did your state issue -- see that you are welcome with open ours in reference to illegal aliens? that was a direct quote attributed to you. >> it is a 400 year history we have in the state of new york of welcoming all. i don't know why we would change that now.

>> governor pritzker, you mentioned in your opening statement that criminals have no place in our country but cook county released numerous criminal migrants last year including one who was charged with raping a minor. why would you release a criminal rapist back into your community? >> thank you, congressman. first of all, we don't need to release somebody if ice or another law enforcement authority shows up with a judicial warrant. that is just the fact and if somebody gets released, it's usually because they have had due process and determined not to be eligible to be held. >> ok, but do you know what happened after that individual was released? >> i don't fred again, a jewish -- a judicial warrant, if appropriate >> 17 days later, he was charged with a homicide and in cook county, they really stay mardi gras and charged with domestic violence in august of 2024. do you know what this individual was charged with one month

later? >> no, sir. >> aggravated criminal sexual assault and abuse of a minor. as governor, you have done -- have you done anything to ensure county governments aren't releasing illegal immigrants charged with sexual violent crimes? >> we chase down criminals every day and put them in jail. we try them and put them through due process and they get convicted and put into our corrections system. we do that every single day. you are implying that we are not . we are. in fact, our law enforcement are some of the best in the country. they do their job. >> if these laws were enforced, i would assume these people would not be back out on the streets so freely. how many programs does illinois have that explicitly supports illegal immigrants? >> sir, we have created programs to deal with -- we have one program that is related to undocumented people.

>> i'm out of time. the answer is at least four. health benefits for immigrants. retention of illinois students -- rise is the acronym for that in the illinois dream fund. i yelled back. >> mr. chairman, i would like to finish the title of the article i was trying to read into unanimous -- unanimous consent. >> ok. >> senator alex padilla was forcefully removed from the news conference being held by kristi noem in westwood. senator attempted -- he was handcuffed in the hallway. yes. thank you. >> for the record, he rushed the podium. he was being disruptive and that is not conducive. >> a senator was forcefully shoved to the ground and arrested. >> from california. >> i want to follow-up my republican colleague's comments since he is talking so much

about sexual assault and noted that our current president was found civilly liable for sexual assault and i also want to note that elon musk, and for the record, i want to know elon musk, who was once part of this administration, not so long ago accused the president of being part of the epstein files so all great interest in looking into oversight on that. i want to ask you a few questions. please raise your hand if your state has any laws or policies that prevent ice from enforcing federal immigration laws. note for the record that no one has their hand up. governors, please raise your hand if you are aware of any laws or policies that prevent federal authorities from enforcing immigration laws in any city or state in the united states. again, no hands are up and that is because there is no such thing as sanctuary from federal laws anywhere in this country. what is at stake is whether state resources including national guard troops should be used for donald's immigration policies or whether national guardsmen should be used primarily for responding to

state emergencies, supporting state law enforcement priorities or whether they should be construed -- conscripted to support i spirit this is a question about states rights and it's being starkly illustrated right now with what is happening in los angeles just up the way from my district in orange county where the trump administration claimed authority to deploy 4000 troops and then california national guard. i want to note the existence of the national guard is rooted in the second amendment to the constitution, a well-regulated mischa -- militia being necessary to the security of the free state. the right to keep and bear arms shall not be in for -- arranged. the first part is the key part of it. a well-regulated militia being necessary to securing a free state with state being capitalized so we know we are talking about the states in the united states of america. the second amendment guarantees the states rights to keep and maintain a well-regulated militia which is the basis for the national guard so governors, i want to set the record straight because i think it is not clear that everyone fully understands what a national

guard unit is, when and how they can and should be called up and what activities are restricted from engaging in. i have limited time so i'm going to ask you to keep your answers brief so we can unwrap how deeply concerning president trump's actions are. in a sentence or two, what does the minnesota national guard do and how does it serve the people and state of minnesota? >> and know this personally. you can dip that she can be deployed under title x or title 32. in minnesota, we have used everything from floods and tornadoes and we use them to help during the covid pandemic and they serve overseas when called upon. >> typically, they report to the state governor. >> that is correct. >> in times of crisis, a governor can activate the national guard units to respond and assist. as you noted, the president sometimes has authority to deploy them. governor pritzker, in a few words, under what circumstances can or should be president federalize a state's national guard? works have been in office 6.5 years.

they have deployed under title x hour national guard to foreign lands. we have a terrific encampment of national -- illinois national guard in poland, the largest polish american population in the country and very proudly, our national guard serve all over the world as part of our military to protect our nation. >> title x section 12 four 06 allows the president to deploy national guard troops when the united states is being invaded, when there is a rebellion, or when the president is unable to execute the laws of the united states with regular forces. do you believe the protests in los angeles or ice rates qualify for any of these particular provision? >> i do not. >> thank you. >> you are aware governor newsom did not make any request to president trump to federalize the national guard? like he rejected it. >> this is illegal and does not comply to the basis for deployment. i want to highlight a key point

my republican colleagues across the aisle should keep in mind regarding the federalization process of national guard units even under title x. these troops may not be used for law enforcement purposes. what we are seeing right now is a total violation of that. we are seeing them used to aid ice rates and i just want to note that ice is acting largely as a civil organization at this point in time. governor, correct or incorrect, being undocumented in the u.s. is a civil violation, not a criminal offense? yes or no, please. >> i believe most cases are civil. in some cases, the federal government can determine its criminal. >> applying u.s. marines to support ice rates constitutes a law enforcement purpose and not a national security purpose? >> we have highly trained local law enforcement. we are more than capable of handling those situations. >> there is no rebellion, no invasion. law enforcement has not

collapsed. there is no national emergency. what is happening right now is not just unprecedented, it is illegal and it is very alarming to those of us who care about democracy and the rule of that law and with that, i yelled back. i would ask to introduce this article into the record. marines to join national guard troops protecting ice agents. >> without objection, so ordered. >> thank you. >> go ahead. >> mr. chairman, i asked consent to enter into the record this picture of senator padilla and it looks like he's being arrested and restrained by three police officers. >> so ordered. from south carolina. >> thank you, mr. chairman. >> welcome to the unofficial 2028 democrat presidential primary. right here on page at the oversight committee. governor newsom must be seething that the three of you beat him to the stage but he's a little busy right now defending

illegals and defending antifa, torching what is left of los angeles. governor walz knows the playbook. in 2020, he rolled out the red carpet for anarchists while minnesotans watched their neighborhoods burn. you have turned your states into sanctuaries for illegals. you have done more to shield ms-13 then to protect the single mom working two jobs in chicago, queens, or minneapolis, and he worked harder against ice then with them, so governor walz, and boy, does that feel nice to say the word governor, my first question is for you. did you know the nazis killed 6 million jews during the holocaust? it is a yes or no question. did you know the nazis killed 6 million jews during the holocaust? >> yes, i believe that. >> would you agree the holocaust is the most horrific atrocity in human history, yes or no? ask it ranks amongst them, yes. >> did you know they imprisoned, tortured, and murdered jews by the hundreds of thousands and

committed genocide against the jews question what did you know that? did you know ice has done none of that? yes or no? >> operated as a secret police force? roxette is not the question. did you know that ice has not committed jewicide against anyone? do you apologize for your disgusting comparison of ice to the gestapo who killed hundreds of thousands of jews during the holocaust? yes or no is the question. you are a governor. you understand what the question is. it is yes or no. will you apologize for what you said about ice, comparing them to the gestapo? >> to not use that. >> mr. chairman, this governor cannot answer the question. do you believe the nuremberg trials were a good exercise in holding the nazis accountable? yes or no? >> i think due process --- >> are you calling for ice agents to be brought to a tribunal under the threat of death by comparing them to the

gestapo? >> everyone is afforded due process. plus what do you understand about yes or no? what can you comprehend about yes or no questions? do you still want to abolish ice? do you still want to abolish ice, yes or no? didn't you march in a rally calling for ice's abolishment? >> not that i can recall, congressman. >> according to whiteford media reports, you did. >> and the media is always correct? once how do you grade kamala harris's job as border czar question market number between one and 10. >> i was not in the administration. >> weren't you her running mate for vice president? >> in the campaign. >> you can't rate her role as border czar on a scale of one to 10? >> i think her proposal that she put forward to make sure we had the bipartisan immigration -- >> did you ever speak with her about joe biden's cognitive collapse? >> not that i can recall. >> not as her running mate for

vice president. he never once talked to her about the president and why she was nominated instead of him? >> not that i can recall. >> what kind of operation where you guys running over there? >> i was more concerned with donald trump's cognitive decline. >> thank god he is president and jd vance is priced -- vice president and not you. what have you ever served in a congress -- a combat zone? are you still friends with school shooters? >> i have never been a friend with a school shooter. >> is bullying -- my mom was a teacher and i am a haskell drop out. we can talk about that later. is bullying ok? >> is bullying ok? yes or no? >> is it ok to bully somebody, yes or no? so you think it is ok to bully others? >> i think it is ok to bully the bully. >> you are showing the democrat party is a party of violence.

were you at tiananmen square? >> have i been there? i have. >> were you at tiananmen square? >> yes, i have been there. >> when were you there? >> as i recall, january of 1990. >> ok. what is a woman? what is a woman is the question. courts are not sure i understand the question here. >> ok. >> what do you want me to say? >> i want you to say that a woman like me is an adult human female, that men cannot become women. you guys are the party of violence and you are the party erasing women. you don't respect us. you are a bigot and misogynist and sexist. mr. chairman, i your back. mr. chairman, i ask unanimous consent. >> from new york. >> all right, well, that was some kind of bingo going on over there. anyways.

>> i know what is going on. thank you. >> thank you to the witnesses for coming here today. i apologize for the treatment that the four of you have been subjected to. governor walz, i just have to say i know you are getting a lot of grief from the majority here but you know, we are talking about individuals who have cheered on an individual who issued a nazi salute from behind the presidential seal of the united states of america. who have cheered on the pardoning of individuals who attacked the united states capital and flew a nazi flag and the flag of the confederacy, traders to the united states, sworn enemies of the united states of america through the capital of this nation and now, they want to act all offended

because someone has the courage to say if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, maybe it's a duck. so i want to thank you for not wavering to their bullying which is unconscionable and sad to see so i just wanted to let you know that, governor. thank you. >> thank you, congresswoman. >> to the three of you, governor walz, governor pritzker, governor hochul, you three have each sworn and oath to uphold and defend the constitution of the united states of america, correct? we will start with you. >> yes. >> yes, i have. >> i imagine that also include the fourth and fifth amendment protections for due process and the rule of law. it does. >> it sure does. >> yes. >> and that means protecting

your people in your states. u.s. citizens and in the -- every individual because that is what makes america great, that we are a land of the free and of rule of law. to protect them from infringements of their civil liberties, correct? what we are seeing now is a pattern where ice is breaking the law. we have the detention of a u.s. citizen who has been detained by immigration officials. we have ice here that has also blamed and arrested u.s. citizens for being simply suspected of being an immigrant largely because of their appearance. in january, a chicago-based u.s. born citizen, julio, wrote -- was arrested by ice and held in custody for 10 hours paid in

april, a florida highway patrol officer pulled over a united states born citizen and arrested him on suspicion of being in the country illegally. he had his real id, his social security card, his mother presented his birth certificate and they still did not let him go. in may, a u.s. citizen was filming an ice raid and he was arrested by ice. in may, a veteran and u.s. citizen who is quite a reagan, -- puerto rican was detained during an ice raid at his workplace in new york city. that is called a paperback test. and your job, governor hochul, is to protect people from that kind of infringement, correct? >> yes. >> because all of us must adhere to the law and no one is above it. so if a u.s. citizen tries to

break the law or if an ice officer tries to break the law, your job is to uphold the law, correct? >> we uphold the laws of the constitution of the state of new york. >> sanctuary states are about u.s. citizens as well having sanctuary against the attacks on our constitutional rights from illegal search and seizure. there is nothing preventing ice from issuing a warrant and you have complete compliance with federal request spirit correct, governor hochul? >> we comply in cases where there has been a criminal activity alleged. we always do but we are not involved in civil immigration enforcement because our state police that i control have to deal with other crimes that they are selling. >> i have 10 seconds when they say illegal versus legal immigration, they are trying to end legal status in the united states as well, correct, governor pritzker, with the end of tps and making people and documented by removing legal

status, ending legal status, and then having the audacity to call them illegal when they were here documented, correct? >> taking student visas away from people, taking the legal right to be in the united states away from them when they have been granted may be years earlier to stay. >> so i don't want to hear about how this is about illegal versus legal immigration. they are attacking legal status and removing legal status. the republican majority is anti-legal immigration in the united states and i want to make that very clear and i yield back. >> mr. chair. unanimous consent request. consent request into the record, and bc article. senator padilla removed from news conference secretary gnome. >> without objection to order. >> i have the hill article. forcibly removed from the press conference. i have a third one. axios democratic senator forcibly removed from dhs press conference. >> mr. chair, we were just

talking about this and i want to know if you can commit to working with us so we can subpoena -- >> you are out of order. >> i have a point of order. we need to subpoena sec. gnome. >> thank, mr. chairman. reclaiming my time. reclaiming my time. >> to the ground. >> reclaiming my time. democrats can't follow the rules, can't follow the law. can't follow the rule. can't follow the law. >> subpoena kristi noem. dhs -- >> there is a privilege of the majority and that means we are in charge, not your side, because you lost the election. >> we are going to start the clock. all right. >> it's my time. >> will you commit on the record -- >> thank you, mr. chairman. >> you are out of order.

>> will you commit on the record that subpoenaing kristi noem because a u.s. senator was thrown to the grounds and detained in his own -- >> democrats can't follow the rules, can't follow the law. >> shut up. just shut up. >> you are not going to tell me to shut up. >> not like that. >> he has been out of order six times p or he's trying to get on msnbc. you probably not somebody off msnbc to get on there. >> he has been arrested as a former antifa member, right? antifa. he is a former antifa member. mr. chairman. what a surprise. >> who is, me? >> i asked that these words be taken down. >> you are recognized. >> thank you, mr. chairman. >> governor hochul, you stated that you are a proud democrat, proud registered democrat. >> there has been a parliamentary move.

they said they were not going to do that. ok. suspended for two minutes. while we are votes in seven minutes. we are trying to get three more questioners in that will break for four votes and we will come back right after the last vote. we don't have that many more questioners.

>> mr. chairman, i moved to revise my remarks. congressman frost was arrested

in 2021 at a voting rights rally. >> without objection. >> probably. >> all right. the chair recognizes miss green. >> governor hochul, you stated you are a proud registered democrat. >> yes, i did. is that illegal now in your country? >> governor hochul, this is not a laughing matter. you stated you swore an oath to uphold the laws of new york and one of the laws that you have upheld and proudly kept in place is the executive order signed by andrew cuomo that directs that no state officers or employees including law enforcement officers shall disclose information to federal information immigration authorities for the purpose of federal civil immigration enforcement unless required by law and because of your states policies of paying for flights

of illegal aliens, we ended up with hosea barrette in our state of georgia and you know, i am a mother of three children and two out of my three, i have two daughters, and you are a mother. is that correct? >> yes, it is. >> yes, and i think you have got two children and one daughter. is that right? >> that is correct. >> you and i are both mothers and there's one mother that i wish could be here today and could talk to you instead of me and that is allison phillips. that is lincoln riley's mother. and we talked about lincoln a few minutes ago and you know, there is a really special bond between mothers and daughters and we speak with our daughters daily. we speak with our daughters all day long. we speak with our daughters about every single thing that is happening in our lives in every single thing happening in their lives and i want you to know the

last time that lincoln riley and her mother, allison phillips, tried to talk to each other happened to be in the morning when lincoln was getting ready to go out and go for her morning jog and on the morning of her murder at 8:30 5:00 a.m., riley texted her mother and said, good morning, about to go for a run. if you are free to talk. i can tell you that is something i do with my girls and they text me and i am sure you and your daughter text each other as wild. but she didn't get her mother and then riley called her mother just a few minutes later at 9:0 3:00 a.m. as she was starting to listen to music but she did not get her mom on the phone and the trail cam actually captured her going out for her run at 9:05 a.m. and nine: 11 -- 9:11,

lincoln called 911. this was but a few minutes after she had tried to call her mother. and then at 9:24, lincoln received a call from her mother but it went unanswered. and at 9:28, lincoln's heart stopped and according to the smartwatch, the data of her smartwatch, lincoln fought for her life for 17 minutes. 17 minutes. 17 minutes. this little girl fought for her life as she was being beat in the head by this monster, as she was being strangled by this monster, as she was being almost raped by this monster and dragged off into the woods. she fought for her life for 17

minutes -- it was only a few minutes after she try to call her mother. i think as mothers, not politicians, this is something we should easily share with allison phillips. when we are talking about the laws in place and the policies we uphold as elected leaders in this country, do you know who we should be thinking about? we should be thinking about our daughters. and the fact that -- look, everybody can fight all day long -- democrat, republican -- it is so much bullshit when it comes down to the fact that this little girl fought for 17 minutes at the end of her 22-year-old life. the end of her 22-year-old life.

governor hochul, for the love of god, as you are a proud registered democrats, i do not know how on earth you can uphold laws that protect and give aid and comfort to monsters, especially one that was arrested in your state and let go because of your policies in your state. i cannot comprehend it, mr. chairman. just one more second. laken riley and her mother deserve to have one last chat like you and me get to have chats with our daughters. >> we will try to get to more questions in. i will recognize mr. davis from illinois and ms. luna. >> thank you for letting me waive on in this hearing.

i want to thank the governors who have been here all day. i want to thank you, governor pritzker, for the outstanding leadership you have provided to the state of illinois. our state is characterized as being progressive and humane. can you share why we think that is important, u.s. governor and i as a citizen resident? gov. pritzker: we had to do a lot of reform of our state government to get there but it is important to me that we provide health care and education for all the people we have policies and the government that takes care of, particularly those most vulnerable, including working families. it is important to me that we be known for that. we are a state that frankly cares a great deal about our

fellow man. we are a state that is humanitarian in so many ways and stands up for the law. i am very proud of our state. we have the greatest state in the country. the land of lincoln. we said that probably because we know lincoln would be a democrat today if he was alive. i am a big believer of taking his values and promoting those and the values of today's illinois. we have done that and succeeded in so many ways to lift people up. >> thank you. we are proud of you and your leadership and i yield back. >> the gentleman yields back. >> mr. chairman, point of the cree, did you skip me in the order on purpose? it must have been an oversight. >> there is a lot of oversight. >> gentlemen, please. >> suppressing free speech. >> first and foremost, i would

like to take this opportunity to educate the american people on what is really happening right now with these riots. i see there is a lot of back-and-forth and finger-pointing but there is a financial tied to these riots and immigration that lead back to the chinese communist party. the l.a. riots have been organized by an organization dubbed the party for socialism and liberation, funded by a billionaire chinese activist. in addition to that, although -- turns around and funnels it right into some of these violent protests we are seeing. it is not just stop there. it is not the only organized protest using brown people and immigrants to push their agenda, mr. walz, thank you for coming in to testify. is it true that you are speaking

at the june 14 twin cities no king rally? gov. walz: i cannot confirm that right now. that could be true. >> they are advertising you speaking. i would be happy to provide the graphic for you. i will take that as probably speaking. i know on your campaign you admitted to visiting china anywhere from 15 to 30 times. yes or no? gov. walz: i did live in china. >> no, visiting, in addition to living there. gov. walz: that is correct. >> during your time in congress you filed for a $5 billion earmark, secured $2 million -- filed for a $5 million earmark and secured $2 million of it. mmo stated the government of china considered you a prime target for influence operations. i'm letting you know that now

because you should be made aware that you are working with and going to be speaking at an organization and rally that is not just funded by the heiress of walmart but also has ties to the chinese progressive association that also brags on their website they are pro-maoist. funded by the national endow in of democracy. there are a lot of people on this committee that do not like billionaires interfering with politics but do not state anything about george soros. i guess my question for you guys is, now that i made you aware that these riots are not about illegals or immigrants, if they where they would have protested under barack obama was to deporter in chief. will you say barack obama was not a good president? do you think he was a good president? gov. walz: do i think barack obama was a good president? i think you did a good job. gov. pritzker: i think he did a good job.

gov. hochul: yes, he did do a good job. >> i think president obama did a good job. >> you would understand barack obama had the same policies on immigration republicans are parroting today but you are saying we are the gestapo. some of you said to the actual committee that you are doing what you can to assist these people. your policies are not done from a place of understanding and sympathy. i would say it is doing the opposite. when you use brown people just like they use black people during blm to usher that in, when you use brown people and mexican flags and send you stand up for illegal immigrants but you follow the money and it goes back to the communist party -- ushering in communism, you are not fighting for american

values. do not roll your eyes. i am informing you so you can make your decisions but please be informed, mr. walz >> we might want actual evidence. >> i would be happy to provide that. i would be happy to inform the chairman that we have a letter, you can sign onto it, we actually have a letter going out

to him on friday signed by every single member of oversight. that letter is calling him to testify and for his financial transactions. do you agree that we should not be accepting from the communist chinese party? >> i would like for you to actually present rather than just inform the witnesses and now that they are informed -- >> i do not disrespect you. i will answer your question. >> being debunked. >> go ahead. you are recognized. >> we will be having a hearing and you can gavel onto the hearing. the fact is the democratic party -- >> will it be as good as the biden impeachment hearing? she is out of time. you are not letting me talk. >> if you want to talk about it i will answer my question. >> it is my turn.

>> the lady's time is expired. >> you are all invited. >> thank you. >> before we go to votes i will recognize for unanimous consent. >> i want to submit a letter into the record from a congressman to governor hochul speaking about at the penn station center being led by mta where the chairman is appointed by the governor of new york and the cost is over $7 billion. >> without objection, so ordered. i apologize, votes were supposed to be at 4:00, they have been moved to 3:00. we have four or five votes. we will come back here. pursuant to the previous order, the committee will recess and return five minutes after the last vote. there are only seven or eight more questioners.

the committee stands in recess. >> we are live on capitol hill were democratic governors jb pritzker, kathy hochul and tim walz have been testifying on sanctuary state policies. the hearing is currently in a short recess. we will have live coverage on c-span3 when it resumes. >> house oversight committee will examine the consequences of dangerous sanctuary policies that jeopardize public safety. three governors 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 killed in a car crash near the university of illinois in urbana. it is a sanctuary jurisdiction. katie's killer was a previously deported criminal illegal alien driving drunk. he fled the scene and was later apprehended by the u.s. marshals service in texas. katie was just 20 years old. she had a bright future ahead of her that was stolen from her and her loving family. the illegal alien who took katie's life should never have been allowed in 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 criminal illegal aliens 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, carjacking and other crimes. it is sickening that sanctuary jurisdictions seek to protect these criminals rather than protect americans. instead of putting american first the biden/harris administration dismantled border security to unleash the worst border disaster in american history. the 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 action to restore our sovereignty and make america safer with each passing day. 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 democratic party it seems unlimited illegal immigration is not a failure of policy, it is the policy. that agenda is being pushed at every level of government. this comes at a steep cost to public safety, strains law enforcement resources and puts a burden on federal and state taxpayers. that is 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 is aimed at making their own community safer. it is time to determine what legislative action is needed to stop this subversion and restore the rule of law. it is growing more and more absurd every day. in recent weeks we witnessed a democrat senator who traveled to a foreign country for a bonus check on a foreign ms 13 gang member and now indicted human smuggler that ended with a photo op, margaritas on the rocks. a fervor among democrats to take the side of the illegal alien criminals i have had to deny requests from members of this committee to go on taxpayer-funded trips to visit with the same ms 13 gang member. earlier this year i launched an investigation into the radical

policies with sanctuary jurisdictions. a hearing with some of our country's worst sanctuary city mayors earlier this year the public was able to see how they cared 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 that were originally arrested by their own law enforcement 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 the governors here today because as the chief executives of their states they willfully ignore law, shield illegal aliens and pass the cost of free services onto their hard-working taxpayers. it is hard to figure out whose side these governors are on. the shield criminals while their own citizens pay the price. governor walz stood at a podium and smeared ice agents as "t

rump's modern-day gestapo." it is not just wrong, it is disgusting. i can only hope this reckless remark was not meant to incite violence. assaults on ice officers are up 400% compared to this time last year. we have witnessed repeated attempts and assaults against law enforcement captured on video in california. governor hochul's sanctuary policies cost taxpayers to house illegal aliens while the cost to rent rises and hospitals are overrun. . her defiance of federal law invites crime to plague communities across the state. governor pritzker faces lawsuits for obstructing ice while turning chicago into haven for drugs and crime. he provides free care to illegal

aliens that many of his own citizens lack. these governors handcuff law enforcement from doing their job and collect compassion. it is not compassion and it is costing lives, hurting americans and draining taxpayer money. congress must consider whether to defund every dollar the go to cities and states that prioritize criminal illegal aliens over american people. americans want to return to common sense. the trust administration and this republic of congress aims to restore safety and sovereignty. it is past time for these governors to put america first. i now yield to ranking member lummis for his opening statement. >> first of all i want to thank our witnesses, governor walz, good to see you again. governor pritzker, governor hochul. thank you for your willingness to come before this committee. at this very moment as we sit in this hearing and at the order of

president trump, the national guard are on the streets of los angeles and active-duty marines are on their way. that trump's border, californians are forced to activate an active military zone as they try to go to work or decide if it is safe to send their kids to school. because of trump, no american city is safe as he lays the groundwork to take his militarization playbook nationwide. two days ago he confirmed invoking the insurrection act to expand the deployment of active-duty military force against civilians. preparing for a future in which dissent is meant with armed force in the machinery of war is turned inward on the american people. if unchecked this marks not just a threat to our most sacred civil liberties but a violent blow to american democracy

itself. last week in los angeles, peaceful americans came out to protest the administration's cruel and illegal mass deportation efforts in their neighborhoods. president trump inflamed defense on the grounds as an excuse to unleash the u.s. military on its own people, sending in 4000 national guard members without the approval of the governor of california. in deploying 700 active-duty marines in american cities meant to provoke, not pacify. it is an aggressive assertion of federal control where it is neither needed nor desired. our marines are often the first responders in a war zone. american neighborhoods are not war zones. protesters are not the enemy. they are americans who have the constitutional right to peacefully assemble and speak up. the problem for president trump and my colleagues across the

aisle is the american people hate what he is doing in los angeles the flame tensions. americans are concerned the president deployed federal troops to an american city over the objections of state and local leadership and knowing it would escalate the situation. he put members of the public, law enforcement officers and troops in danger because he loves the images and theatrics of using force. let's be clear -- democrats oppose violence and lawlessness in all forms, as well as any threat to public safety. president trump is the worst offender. the chaos he is fermenting in l.a. is just an extension of his flagrant disregard for the constitution and our rule of law and democracy. it is clear that the trump administration's mass deportation policy is not limited to those who have committed serious and violent

crimes. it also includes children who are u.s. citizens, immigrants with legal status and even international students. on february 4, president trump deported a 10-year-old girl. a u.s. citizen who was recovering from brain cancer while traveling to houston for an emergency hospital visit. this 10-year-old girl was detained and deported with her undocumented parents and four siblings, three of whom were also born here in the united states. her parents have no criminal history and what will happen to her, an american child, now that she cannot see her expert doctors? it is unknown. trump deported another u.s. citizen. a two year old toddler from fort lauderdale on february 21. deported to brazil.

. because she is not a citizen or resident of brazil, she had to enter the country as a tourist which leaves are unable to have daycare or school. are our cities safer now that a 10-year-old girl and two year old toddler are gone, u.s. citizens, both of them? in austin, texas, a husband-and-wife were detained after a routine traffic stop. the husband was deported while the wife was released to pick up her three children from school, only to be deported with them. two of those kids are u.s. citizens. is the family the filing criminals trump is supposed to be sending us from? the trump administration has tried to sweep aside this pattern of mass deportation operation is letting dangerous criminals roam free while it takes off peaceful, contributing

members of our communities. busboys, day laborers at home depot. in late march ice agents wearing masks and hoodies detained -- those of you who watched that abduction, when you compare the old films of the gestapo grabbing people off the streets of poland, and you compare them to those nondescript thugs who grab that graduate student, it does look like a gestapo operation. it does look like the gestapo. she was snatched away and detained 1700 miles away. her congresswoman could not reach her. her family could not reach her. 1700 miles away. her attorney could not reach her. yeah. that was gestapo-like. that is an appropriate

comparison. that is exactly what it was like. she was here legally! studying at tufts university. she had every right to be here. we gave her permission to come. her family trusted us. they chose boston because it is a place of intellectual freedom and respect for cultural freedom . and that trust was apparently misplaced. a turkish national on a student visa to attend tufts university, a video shows her walking along a public street in boston, massachusetts, my home city, when several masked figures snatched her phone and backpack, handcuffed her and hustled her into an unmarked vehicle. what is that sound like?

what is that sound like? the trump administration is putting extremism, cruelty and chaos over protecting kids and families. trump is not focused on getting violent criminals off our streets. he is terrorizing our communities to reach deportation quotas. he is trying to strong-arm our city and state leaders to divert their limited resources away from serious public safety threats to instead focus on peaceful, law-abiding families just as he diverted resources away from combating drug trafficking, violent crime and terrorism to fuel his lawless, mass deportation campaign. trump is not trying to protect us. he is trying to divide us. it is us and them. he is trying to divide us. some people are helping him. he is pitting neighbor against neighbor. it is not immigrant kids about

two kick americans off their health care. it is not them. he is doing that to pay for a tax break for billionaires. it is not immigrants using the military to silence americans exercising their rights to speak truth to power. these are not the strong and measured actions of the leader of a free country. it is an autocrat hell-bent on consolidating power by any means necessary. this is disgraceful. it should not happen in this country. this is wrong. deploying the military against a civilian population is wrong. if we do not step up, this will continue. if we do not stop up and declare what is right under our constitution, than other cities, other citizens, will meet this same fate. i'm proud of my democratic colleagues who are willing to stand up to this thuggery.

trump is a want gangster and is showing the world what he is about. i am proud. my dad served in the second world war. he thought the nazis in northern africa and on the italian peninsula. i think he is looking done right now that i am fighting today's nazis. he is proud of that. we all should be. mr. chairman, i yield back. >> without objection, representatives -- [reading names] -- are waived onto the committee for the purpose of questioning witnesses for today's hearing. without objection. our witnesses today include the

governors of three states. first we have tim walz, governor of the state of minnesota. he was sworn into office 2019. the second term began 2023. governor, welcome back to the house of representatives. next we have jb pritzker, governor of illinois. he was sworn into office in 2019. his second term began 2023. i will yield briefly to my colleague for further introduction. >> thank you, mr. chair. in illinois we like our pizza deep, our politics lively and our budgets balanced. the last one used to be a miracle before governor pritzker took office. i know firsthand as the son of immigrants who realize the american dream but immigrants make enormous contributions to our country. governor pritzker understands that.

his great-grandfather fled ukraine in 1881 and settled in chicago to build a better life. that has shaped his lifelong commitment to public service, justice and opportunity. before entering public office governor pritzker built a successful career and became a leading philanthropist supporting early childhood education and establishing the illinois holocaust museum. governor pritzker has delivered historic investments in education, workforce training, infrastructure, technology and clean energy. all while expanding paid leave, raising the minimum wage and defending the rights of all illinois residents. governor, thank you for your leadership and joining us today. >> yields back. next we have kathy hochul, governor of the state of new york. she was sworn in 2021. finally we have the president and ceo of democracy forward foundation.

thank you all for joining us. we look forward to your discussion. pursuant to committee role 9g, please raise your right hand and stand. do you all solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you god? please let the record show the witnesses answered in the affirmative. thank you and take a seat. we appreciate you being here today and look forward to your testimony. let me remind the witnesses we have read the written statement. please limit your oral statement to five minutes. please press the button on the microphone in front of you so people can hear you. when you begin to speak the light in front of you will turn green. after four minutes the light will return yellow. after five minutes the light will turn red and we ask you please wrap up. gov. walz: thank you, ranking member lynch and members of the

committee. i'm proud to be here today as the governor of the great state of minnesota. people tend to want the same basic things -- safe neighborhoods, affordable goods, meaningful work and good schools. that is what we have worked to ensure for our people. under our leadership -- minnesota has been ranked the fourth best state to live in. when it comes to serious crime minnesota has hit its lowest level in over three decades and we consistently have lower violent crime rates than the u.s. average. we have a broken immigration system in this country. i think everyone in this room agrees with that. but nothing minnesota has done to serve its own people stands in the way of the federal government managing border security and policies. while you convened this hearing over so-called sanctuary states, minnesota is not a sanctuary state. minnesota legislature has passed no such bill and i have sighed

no such law. minnesota cooperates with federal authorities in a number of ways. we all cooperate with homeland security requests when there is a judicial warrant and when due process has been afforded by our constitution. enforcing immigration law is not the role of local and state governments. the fact is congress has given federal agencies the authority to enforce immigration laws across this country. that includes minnesota and i support them doing so. it is the federal government's job to secure the border. when i was in congress i visited the southern border and voted for bills that would have increased funding for border patrol, made it easier to hire qualified agents and deploy technology to the border. i recognize securing our border does not mean we sacrifice our constitutional values.

unfortunately the cruel and misguided policies of this current administration failed to live up to those values. minnesotans are angry with what they have seen happen to their neighbors. they are angry the federal government has been snatching people up, putting them in prison and deporting them without a shred of due process. there has been no notice, no meaningful opportunity to object and according to the president no way to get out of these oversea prisons. many of these law-abiding americans, people granted asylum or promised protected status -- in many cases these people seem to be deported not based on criminal behavior but how they look or what they said. even u.s. citizens. like a four-year-old boy with cancer. sent to mexico, away from his father and medical needs to a country he was not born in and had never born to. americans deserve a sensible,

humane policy that reduces illegal immigration on protecting fundamental rights. the administration makes life worse for americans and other ways, trying to slash medicaid, medicare, making goods more expensive and telling people they need to do more with less. the american people deserve better. you have the power to legislate and protect the american people. i have to say i am disappointed at a crucial inflection point in our nation's history congress is spending time casting blame on states like minnesota that had no hand in creating this crisis. we may disagree on the best way for border security i know we should be able to agree on a few principles. everyone in america deserves due process and we live in a free country, where people should not be locked up for exercising their basic constitutional rights. i hope you will join me in enforcing accountability and i

look forward to your questions. >> i now recognize governor pritzker for his opening statement. gov. pritzker: mr. chairman, ranking member, members of the committee, good morning. as governor of the great state of illinois i have noticed firsthand how states affect to shoulder the consequences of a broken immigration system. i am proud of how we have responded by promoting public safety, treating people with dignity, supporting our economy and respecting the rule of law. safe and compassion immigration policies i believe are vital. my own family owes everything to this country accepting a young refugee named nicholas pritzker to its shores over a century ago. my great grandfather fled the massacre of jews in ukraine and

arrived in the u.s. at the age of 10 without a penny to his name. a social service agency providing him a place to live, a public school, taught him english, a public university. my father and grandfather were both naval officers and raise their families with a powerful sense of duty to community and patriotism to our country that still lives deep in my generation. both were successful entrepreneurs. my family's story is not unique. today illinois is home to 1.9 million immigrants. just like my great-grandfather, they are hard-working, raising families and paying taxes. our state and our country have been strengthened by people from across the globe seeking freedom , opportunity and refuge here. recently, children, pregnant women and others fled poverty, violence and persecution seeking

asylum at our border. some border state politicians chose to treat them as political ponds, bussing them to states like mind and dropping them off in the dead of night in the freezing cold. illinois chose a different path. faced with a humanitarian crisis are state made sure children and families did not go hungry or freeze to death. by doing so we help to maintain safety and order in chicago. as governor, one of my responsibilities is to keep the public safe. that is my i expanded our state police, bann assault weaponsed and ghost guns and invested more than before in violence prevention. violent crime is down in illinois, chicago and in 2024 with its lowest homicide rate in five years. as i have consistently said violent criminals have no place on our streets.

if they are undocumented i want them out of illinois and out of our country. as we are reminded in los angeles this week, we can all agree that violence of any kind, whoever it is directed at, is unacceptable. people must be held accountable to the law. illinois follows the law but let me be clear -- we expect the federal government to follow the law, too. we will not participate in -- we will not ignore the constitution. we will not defy the supreme court. we will not take away people's rights to peacefully protest. we also respect and expect this administration to respect the traditions and legal precedent that dictate how and when our national guard and military are deployed. as governor, i have had to make the difficult decision to call the illinois national guard into service. i have always done it in partnership with local

governments and law enforcement. and with deep and abiding respect for the sacrifice i was asking of our volunteer armed forces. it is wrong to deploy the national guard and active-duty marines into an american city over the objection of local law enforcement just to inflame a situation and create a crisis. just as it is wrong to tear children away from their homes and mothers and fathers who have spent decades working and living in our communities, raising their families. despite being a father and husband, the greatest honor of my life has been serving as governor. i believe illinois is the best place in the country to live, work and raise a family. illinois inns take seriously the responsibility in upholding the most fundamental values of our nation. kindness, empathy, hard work and fair play. our people and body the most american ideal of all -- where

your life began matters far less than the dreams you can realize here for yourself and your family. thank you very much. >> the chair recognize governor hochul. gov. hochul: chairman, ranking member and members of this committee, as we speak, an american city has been militarized over the objections of their governor. at the outset i want to say this is a flagrant abuse of power and nothing short of an assault on our american values. my views on immigration are simple and direct. our nation needs secure borders. our nation needs comprehensive immigration reform from this body. and our state laws dictate that we cooperate with ice in

criminal cases. are values dictate we treat all law-abiding people with dignity and respect. the america i believe in is a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. abandoning either threatens the very foundation on which this great country was built. for 400 years new york has prospered because of newcomers. people like my grandfather who fled great poverty in ireland. they are not here for handouts. they are not here to take advantage of the situation. they are here to work. they want to contribute, earn their place, raise their families. every day there is another story of children being ripped from the arms of their mothers, wives

separated from their husbands, families arrested while attending legal immigration appointments. not long ago in a small town in upstate new york, armed ice age and stormed into a home before dawn. they abducted a mother, her three children, including a third grader. they were cast into a living hell in a detention center in texas. i contacted border czar tom homan and demanded the release. 60% of the residents in the county voted for donald trump and those people protested in the streets. local republican lawmakers spoke out. finally after two long weeks the family was returned home. in new york, we understand the difference between going after

criminals and traumatizing law-abiding families. some of you will use this hearing to stoke fear. i am here to talk about the facts. new york has managed an unprecedented immigrant influx because of a broken border. yet at the same time, our state has become stronger and safer. today, new york has the lowest homicide rate among the nation's top 10 states. we did not achieve this with indiscriminate roundups or tearing apart families but by investing $2.6 billion in public safety and engaging in smart, targeted policing and partnering with federal law-enforcement to apprehend and deport serious criminals. we have handed over 1300 convicted criminals to ice. but what we do not do is civil immigration enforcement.

that is the federal government's job. new yorkers need their state troopers on our highways, seizing guns and drugs. states like mind are doing our part but we cannot be expected to fix the broken immigration system. the very people who go on cable news and rant about the border of the same ones who torpedo bipartisan legislation each and every time. here is my message -- if you truly care about public safety, if you truly care about the economy, if you care about human dignity, sit down, negotiate, have real reform. secure the border. revived legal pathways and let people work. at the end of the day, i will go home and do my job keeping new yorkers safe. i hope you will do yours. thank you. >> i now recognize the democrat

witness, ms. perryman. >> thank you for having me here today. and at the outset let me offer my sincerest condolences to all of you for the passing and your loss of your colleague gerry connolly. i am here as a lawyer and the president and ceo of democracy forward foundation, a national nonpartisan legal organization committed to achieving democracy in a nation that enables all people to thrive. we represent people and communities who make up the very fabric of our nation on a pro bono basis in federal and state courts throughout the country. i know this is a hearing focused on immigration so i would like to see at the outset and echo the calls for a bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform. i will also note the rhetoric we have heard the president and his allies use in recent days about

immigrants and people in this country is inaccurate, overly politicized and not solutions oriented. fundamentally democracy forward foundations work centers on the premise that when the government does its job and delivers four people our society is stronger. when government strays from that purpose and ignores the constitution, not achieving and respecting the fidelity of people's rights, our democracy and people are in danger. right now based on the work we are doing i am here to see at the american people are in danger and our democracy is in crisis. i'm looking at these united states flags. we need to remember who we are. we right now have a president who has proclaimed without irony that he is a king in a nation that will next year celebrate 250 years since it throughout the reins of monarchy. since inauguration day the president and his administration have acted beyond the lawful bounds of executive authority,

usurped the power of this congress and sought to eliminate due process of law. they have ignored court orders and are targeting people, organizations and lawyers. these are anti-democratic actions that present a threat to every american and to our values. that is my at democracy forward foundation we have had to go to court to file more than 70 legal actions since inauguration day to protect the american people's rights. from stopping the president's federal funding freeze to blocking the decimation of the department of education to safeguarding due process and challenging doge and elon musk's attempts to access personal data, our team is in court every day on behalf of people of all identities and ideologies. people in red states and blue states. people in small towns, urban areas and rural communities. our work demonstrates the u.s.

constitution is still here and it is here for all of us. this administration's tactics with regard to immigration enforcement's shock the conscience of the vast majority of the american people including people who do not see eye to eye on how to fix the immigration problem in the country. we are litigating against policies that prolong the detention of individual immigrant children without their families. we are challenging the lack of due process afforded to our clients. men who were disappeared through an unlawful agreement between the government of el salvador in the u.s. all told the courts have ruled against the current administration more than 170 times in less than 200 days because of the fast-moving harms and flagrant violations of the law and our constitution. while this is a dire situation our work demonstrates the

american people are determined to protect their rights. they are determined to use lawful and peaceful means of petitioning their government and when necessary of holding their government accountable. people have talked about their families. last week was june 6, the anniversary of when american troops landed on the beaches of normandy in world war ii. i, tooo, and the mother of an american -- many others throughout the european theater. as i reflected last week we do not need to be in normandy to defend our democracy in june of 2025. we need to be here in these halls, doing the work in courts across the country and in our communities and we do need to remember the essential and historical commitment our nation made at the end of the war to advance democracy and ensure we never turn our backs on people who are fleeing persecution.

i appreciate you inviting me here today to participate in this hearing and it is with a sincere hope we can come together that i offer my testimony and comments. >> opening statements have concluded. we will begin the questioning portion of today's testimony. i will begin with governor walz. i thought that maybe your statement referencing ice as gestapo was an outlier statement but now that mr. lynch has endorsed it it appears it could be some kind of democrat talking point. governor, do you and other democrat politicians understand by referencing ice as gestapo is offensive? the department of homeland security is experiencing ice agents are experiencing a 413% increase in assaults. governor, do you think comments

like that and rhetoric like that put ice officers and other law enforcement in greater danger? gov. walz: thank you for the question, mr. chairman. first and foremost, any attack on law enforcement is unacceptable. whether it is state or local. >> i have limited time. i want to highlight for the governors the real world impact of the policies you all continue to defend, even in your opening statements and what they have on american families. earlier this year in governor pritzker's illinois, a previously deported illegal alien that we enter the country was allegedly drunk driving during the -- university of illinois struck a car and then fled the scene. the crash killed two women, including katie abraham. katie had her whole life in

front of her and it was cut off in an instant. this illegal alien should never have been here. he did not just flee the scene, he fled the state and was apprehended in texas using a false name. he now faces criminal charges for reckless homicide, leaving the scene of an accident and driving under the influence and faces a federal indictment for having a fraudulent social security card and fraudulent use of passport. governor pritzker, do you agree this illegal alien who killed katie should never have been in the u.s. in the first place? gov. pritzker: thank you, mr. chairman. first let me express my condolences to the family. those are terrible circumstances. let me also say anyone who commits a crime -- >> should that criminal have been here in the first place? did he have a right to be in

this country illegally? gov. pritzker: if the person is a criminal of any sort, then they -- >> so that person had a right to be in the united states? gov. pritzker: this should be given their due process rights and be convicted. >> the criminal who entered this country illegally, in your testimony, had a right to be in this country? gov. pritzker: no, i am suggesting to you -- i have a responsibility for the state of illinois. it is the responsibility of the federal government to manage immigration. if you are suggesting the federal government did not do its job. that is up to you. >> do you believe that president biden did his job in securing the border? gov. pritzker: i was critical of things president biden did. i wrote a letter to the president telling him that. >> back to governor walz.

you were obviously selected by vice president harris to be her running mate in 2024. i am curious, did you ever ask vice president harris about former president biden's cognitive decline? gov. walz: no, not that i can recall. >> you saw president biden's disaster debate performance. you never did comment to vice president harris like, "wow, he might not be on the top of his game"? nothing was ever mentioned to vice president harris? the reason i ask is i know you watch cnn and other networks have interviewed a lot of people, including pete buttigieg and others who have suggested they were shielded from president biden and were not allowed to speak to him and his mental decline -- you never

discussed that with vice president harris? gov. walz: no, not that i can recall chairman. as governor and being on the ticket i was probably concerned more with my own debate performance than president biden's. >> let me ask you this, governor. do you believe the biden/harris administration secure the border? you mentioned it was the federal government's role to protect americans from illegals entering the country. do you think they did a good job of that? gov. walz: i think the border has been broken for a long time under many administrations it. . is one reason vice president harris was advocating so strongly for the bill. >> did she mention her role as the border czar when you were campaigning? gov. walz: not that i can recall other than talking about the need to pass bipartisan legislation that would have done many things to make our jobs easier. >> president trump secured the border without any legislation. that was a myth in the media and

talking points that we needed legislation to secure the border. everything is secure, that is step 1. the next step is to deport the criminal illegals and that is where we are facing obstruction in your states. my time is expired. i recognize ranking member lynch. >> it is worth saying that democrats oppose violence and lawlessness in all its forms. i want to point out the vast majority of protests have been peaceful. the most egregious and sweeping displays of the use of force and lawlessness we see in the u.s. today and the greatest threats to the rights and freedoms of those we hold dear are the acts of the trump administration itself. president trump and the administration have crossed the line from january 6, when this building was attacked at his direction, to invoking the alien enemies act, to dismantling

usaid and ignoring court orders and attacks and threats against law firms protecting democracy. in the five months since trump took office and put the "for sale" sign over the white house he has earned millions on his crypto scam. to call this unprecedented, that word has lost all meaning. he keeps making history but the ron kind. the act of sending national guard and marines to l.a. was already in overreach. now we hear reports though soldiers and marines were sent to quell protests but now are detaining civilians and are being trained to perform immigration enforcement functions. what else could go wrong with the national guard and marines deployed in l.a.?

what other risks to the americans who live, work and exercise their right to freedom and free speech there? >> what our constitution recognizes and how good government functions is based on trust. when we look at national guards it is the governor they call the national guards in. the fact we are seeing a situation where the president has taken a step without cooperating with the governor and with local communities there is deeply concerning. we know from history that could lead to escalations and could lead to violence that is problematic for all of our communities across the country. >> thank you. >> he testified this order is getting have a problem. so if there are other riots in places where law enforcement is threatened, we would have the

capability to surge the national guard if necessary. how does the president's brought order and the presumption, the presumption before the fact that military force would be deployed, how is that, how does that pose a threat to other cities across the country? ms. perryman: it appears to be an escalation. the main thing that is really important to so many americans as well as local law enforcement and so many areas that local law enforcement is there to help people be able to peacefully protest paid so there are ways that people in this country can express their views. we do not all agree with each other. and right now you really see the white house, for whatever reason, escalating may be seeking to create some made-for-tv moments. it is not clear, but i do think there is a lot at stake as you have heard this morning. >> thank you. i want to ask each of the governors. this is a general question. could each of the governor answer briefly how president trump's policies, his assaults

on the rule of law, and his interjection of military force into california, how that would threaten your states, especially where secretary hegseth has said he would support that expansion? governor walz? governor walz: first of all, the federalism policy, when it comes to the insurrection act. governors are in charge. our national guard serving either title x or title 32 status. on all of these operations, the absolute pinnacle and the most critical piece is the coordination among them and as a governor, not being notified as local law enforcement, it creates a situation they cannot operate in. and governors are always there. do it for floods, we do it for civil unrest. but doing it without causes immense danger, to the very law

enforcement officers who are then put in that chaotic situation. >> governor pritzker? gov. hochul: local law enforcement mr. ciattarelli: local law enforcement are the ones who indicate to the governor about their need for national guard. and indeed, i've had that situation in the state of illinois and called out the guard when i needed to. i'm careful but when i do it but again when local law enforcement indicate they want that back up and they need that support, we do it. i have to say when the president of the united states is calling out your national guard over the top of local law enforcement, saying they do not need it, that they have things under control. it tends to have in inflaming effect on what's going on and on the ground. when local law enforcement is getting things under control. i think that is what we saw in los angeles. gov. hochul: those actions undermine the sovereignty of individual states. states governors are the commanders in chief of the

national guard. they know what to do, as you heard from my colleagues. we have deployed them and a number of occasions, but undermining confidence in local law enforcement you're basically saying that there is not a belief that the highly trained individuals all of our municipal police departments like los angeles and the city of new york, for example, cannot handle their jobs. i have more confidence in our law enforcement than perhaps the president does. we should step back and say, this is an overreach of epic proportions. >> thank you. >> thank you for your courtesy on the time. >> chair recognizes misses the phonic from new york. >> on your first day at office, you signed executive order one. is that correct? gov. hochul: i believe it is. >> you extended this executive order, not once, not twice but three times, most recently january 16 this year. is that correct? mr. ciattarelli: gov. hochul: i signed countless

orders. >> this is a continuation of your predecessors a sanctuary state policies, correct? gov. hochul: i want to be sure that we are to finally state. >> it is the policy of the state of state officers and employees should not disclose information to federal authorities for immigration enforcement it goes on to say law enforcement officers may not use resources, equipment or personnel for the purpose of detecting and apprehending any individual suspected or wanted for violating a civil immigration office, law enforcement officers have no authority in the state of new york to take any policy action solely because the person is in on documented alien. now, do you know who secured a con is? i'm asking a question. do you know who secure -- gov. hochul: this simply says we will cooperate with i.c.e. >> no, it does not say that.

let me talk to but what they were the results, do you know what -- you should as a governor in new york state, do you know? he was an illegal migrant new york. and you know what crime he committed in conditions being here illegally? you do not. this is widely reported he found a 15-year-old girl, threatened her with a metal pole, told her to get into the backseat of his car, he took her clothing and violently raped her in albany. do you know who sebastian -- gov. hochul: there are many cases. >> new yorkers know about them and you don't. let's talk about sebastian -- do you know who that is/ gov. hochul: i do not have the details of my displeasure. >> this is in illegal migrant in europe because of your sanctuary to state policies. you know what crime he committed? gov. hochul: i'm not familiar. >> i bet you'll be familiar when i remind you pretty funny sleeping woman on the subway and, later on fire, and burnt

her life. this is in kathy hochul's new york. and as i'm sure you are aware, and i will remind you, that i.c.e. issued an order to detain this violent criminal, but that was rejected by new york officials. due to sanctuary state laws. now, do you know who raymond rojas is? gov. hochul: i want to say, these crimes are horrific. i condemn. in all these cases we work with i.c.e. -- >> you did not in this case. they are walking on the streets because of your policies and your executive order that you sign three times. now, raymond rojas -- do you know who that is? gov. hochul: i'm telling you this. i will explain the policy for new york. we cooperate with, i know what you are trying to -- >> specifically i.c.e. was told not to detain this individual, and he burned a woman alive on the new york subway's in kathy hochul's new york so i will keep on going. what about raymond rojas -- do you know who that is?

gov. hochul: our overall policy will address all of this. >> he is an illegal who molested an 11-year-old and our state because of your century state policies. this illegal was shielded from immigration enforcement and able to commit this heinous crime. and what about wilson castille diaz,. gov. hochul: i am telling you this. we do cooperate fully with i.c.e. our sanctuary regulations. >> this is a five-year-old who was raped on long island in nassau county. you are not advocating on behalf of these victims. you are shooting illegals. even your opening statement, you prioritize putting illegals first. beating of nypd cops by illegals who are here under kathy hochul's failed policies, burning new yorkers alive. this is kathy hochul's new york. it is one of many, the many reasons why your hemorrhaging support from hard-working. gov. hochul: these are

heartbreaking and horrific -- >> they are horrific crimes, committed on your watch could you sign this executive order on your first day in office, you signed it again and again. this january. we deserve a governor who stands up for a law abiding new yorkers, does not put illegals first but puts new yorkers first. gov. hochul: rather than going after the bar moment, i suggest you get the facts. >> rather than addressing the illegals in new york, your -- you are prioritizing -- instead of advocating for victims. gov. hochul: we cooperate with i.c.e.. >> you did not. they were released. gov. hochul: we cooperate with law enforcement. >> no amount of words will clean up your failed record and these horrific crimes committed in sanctuary state that you created. with that i yield back had gov. hochul: your representation of the facts is absolutely false. >> chair recognizes miss norton from washington, d.c. >> thank you, mr. chairman

peters let's be real, since the start of the trump administration, each state has been more nightmarish -- each day has been more nightmarish than the last, but in the past few days, in weeks, we have seen a significant escalation of trump's mass deportation agenda. on may 29th, a nine-year-old child and his father were reportedly detained in torrance, california and separated by i.c.e. a fourth grader ripped from the only community he knows and from the arms of his father. we have kids who are afraid to go to school, afraid that i.c.e. will grab them. and their families from school grounds and afraid their parents will not be there when they get home. schools are supposed to be safe havens for our children that

foster learning and growth. instead, the trump administration has deliberately weaponized them, terrorizing children and families with his immigration policies and threatening more than 600,000 students, kids with detention and removal. president trump has called for an end to birth right citizenship, a constitutional right recognized since the end of slavery. he has cut federal contracts that give two year olds representation in immigration court. he has ripped the children who are immigrants and united states citizens from schools. their friends, their neighborhoods and their homes. there is no other way to spin this. president trump is waging a cruel and deliberate war against children.

ms. perryman, do all children residing in the united states have a right, have a constitutional right to attend public schools regardless of immigration status? ms. perryman: they do. >> ms. perryman, how is president trump going further than past presidents -- in authorizing i.c.e. to carry out enforcement activities in schools, hospitals and places of worship? ms. perryman: this is what brought us to court on behalf of the baptists and the quakers and the religious communities that are having to challenge this. for more than 30 years, the country had a policy that prevented indiscriminate enforcement activities, what we call sensitive locations spread that includes his house because of worship, that includes schools. we also saw in the early days of this administration the department of homeland security rescind that policy, and in

danger people, all people, not just immigrants, but people who are seeking to engage in communal worship, people who are seeking to go to school and to be present and other sensitive locations like hospitals. >> governor walz, what does it mean for children in minnesota if i.c.e. comes to their classrooms? gov. walz: well, thank you, congresswoman. minnesota pride tortoises education. we are proud of our education system. we are proud when students come to school, they get a good meal, they are well qualified teachers and it is a place where it is safe, it is a safe place where they can learn, we prioritize it because our economy depends upon and it is the right thing to do. disruptions at places like school. when i.c.e. is free to operate in minnesota, but to disrupt schools, disrupt and come to those schools, not only the

impact of that individual student, but to the entire learning environment in those schools is disrupted by it. and, again, we agree with everyone here. those committing crimes -- we need to focus. but being on campus is in elementary schools is not getting out that. >> thank you. governor pritzker, when i.c.e. detains an arrest parents -- arrests parents, as they drop off kids at school, how does this affect educational outcomes? gov. pritzker: thank you, very much, congresswoman. let me begin by saying, as you may know, under president trump i.c.e. showed up in chicago nearly immediately and began terrorizing our neighborhoods, our schools and parents. indeed, many parents felt like they needed to go into hiding even though their children needed to go to school. every day. and so disrupting that environment, frankly, not just for the children were the

parents and for teachers and the entire school community, it is something that we believe in illinois, and educating all of our kids. making sure that they get what they need in our public schools. in fact, we have invested significantly in making sure that the results have been very good. eighth graders ranks second in reading in the entire country. eighth graders ranked fifth in mathematics. and it is because we have a safe environment but not when tom homan brings dr. phil with the overreach of force, with i.c.e., to disrupt our education system and particularly our elementary schools. >> the gentleman's time is expired her chair recognizes the majority whip,. >> thank you mr. chair peter welch him back to washington, governor. i am going to run through a series of facts before i get to my questions, so let's get started. governor walz you signed a

health and human services ominous's bill in may of 2020 three, that bill expanded minnesota care to provide free health get to illegal aliens, you sign the ominous bill, that bill allows illegals to have the quashing tuition paid for by the state, he signed a drivers license for all act into law in march of 2023, and that bill allows illegals to receive drivers licenses. so, you claim you are not a sanctuary state, you just provide free health care, free college and driver's licenses to illegal aliens. one reason you are here testifying for us today is because you refuse to cooperate with i.c.e. all states like florida and virginia empower their law enforcement to detain and remove criminal illegal aliens, you have done just the opposite. your attorney general is directing law enforcement to ignore immigration detainers. do you agree with the attorney general's guidance? gov. walz: congressman, it is good to see you and thank you

for being here. my job is governor of minnesota is to make minnesota the best state. >> do you agree with attorney general's guidance? gov. walz: congressman what i would say on this is that minnesota follows the law. >> it is a very easy question. if you are not, if you claim you are not a sanctuary state, you just, i guess, you claim you support policy, you not a century state but you policies that prevent i.c.e. from doing their job. gov. walz: we follow the same laws. the law does not change. >> i have limited time. that is what you tweeted, by the way on may 20 3, 2018 "i support policies that keep law enforcement from enforcing federal laws." on may 17 at university of minnesota law school you said " donald trump modern day because gestapo is scooping folks up off the streets." when you said modern day gestapo you were referring to i.c.e.

agents. gestapo was the official secret police of hitler's nazi germany. you are calling i.c.e. agents, modern-day nazis. given the attacks that took place over the weekend, don't you regard your dangerous inflammatory rhetoric as a problem? gov. walz: the questions you want me to answer first. >> sir, it saddens me that refused to express regret for comparing i.c.e. to nazis. i.c.e. agents are brave americans, get up every morning and leave their families and put their lives in harm's way to protect our country, sir. you at the very least owe them an apology. to those dedicated public servants. i will say, sir, inflammatory rhetoric is responsible for putting a target on the back of every i.c.e. agent who is risking their life to protect our communities.

minnesota is all too familiar, by the way with the chaos that ensues when you refuse to work with law enforcement to enforce the law. in may 2020, looting and acts of arson occurred in minnesota --in -- you're dead is clear, free health care and free college and driver's licenses while handcuffing law enforcement trying to protect our citizens and their communities. if you think that is not a sanctuary state, you should not be governor. by turning minnesota into a magnet for illegals you have open up our communities to known terrorists, gang members, murderers and child predators. you have sent a resounding message that if you are hard-working, law-abiding citizen in minnesota, your safety and well-being are not the priority is off tim walz and his administration. but if you're coming to our state illegally, you are not only welcome with open arms, you are entitled to your free stuff

on the taxpayers dime. this is absolutely disgraceful. governor walz, your sanctuary state agenda has been defined by your utter failure. you have failed to enforce the rule of law, you failed to uphold our national sovereignty, and most important, you have failed the people of minnesota. the time for radical sanctuary state policies, sir, is over. the voters made that clear last november when they elected president trump and vice president j.d. vance. you remember him, don't you? governor, the time for real leaders, is, and real leadership, is now. i, and with that, sir, actually, yeah, mr. chairman, i -- i ask unanimous consent to induce, introduce it to record the governor's tweet by reference from may 23, 2013 that makes it clear his hatred for federal law-enforcement. >> without objection, so order. >> the chair recognizes -- >> i have a unanimous consent

request. i would like to present both of those at the same tim. e. i asked to be entered to record an article from the hill of latinos for trump co-founder blast, heat and humane immigration arrest for that thank you. the second one is from the independent of may, 28, trump ordered a critically ill four-year-old mexican girl to leave the country. experts say she could die in days. >> without objection, and assorted. -- so ordered. >> governor pritzker when it comes to immigration, you have been clear that illinois follows the law. i would like to go into this issue just a little further. first, there has been a lot of misinformation about the illinois trust act. as you know, this is the 2017 law signed by then republican

governor bruce rauner which requires state agencies to cooperate with i.c.e. when it presents a criminal arrest warrant, uh, for an individual, correct? gov. pritzker: congressman, yes, that is correct. >> to be clear, the illinois state police, the department of corrections and at other agencies must cooperate with i.c.e. when they present a criminal arrest warrant, correct? gov. pritzker: and do every single time. >> this is illinois law. donald trump may not like state law, as we are seeing in california, but what donald trump likes is irrelevant. the law is the law. the wall street journal reports that i.c.e.'s reads in california include at a home depot in the l.a. area, were organized because the administration was following way short of its goal of deporting thousands of people per day. politico said this is "the standoff -- >> chair, recognizes , and i

appreciate the way this is indulgence here. again, we were told the votes would be at 4:15 and they were at 3:00. i apologized for it we had two more votes and we was that -- then we were supposed to. the chair recognizes mr. burlison from missouri. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i am just still kind of trying to understand the connection between our i.c.e. officers and the gestapo. i think this statement was, um, horrific. the acting i.c.e. director had this to say "on the final day of national police week when the ose brave enough to put on a batch and uniform, minnesota tim walz -- governor referred to our agents as a modern-day gestapo. this is a port. dehumanizing. and ignorant comments should not

be tolerated. it seems that mr. walz prefers violent criminal aliens. if the governor does not like the laws he's free to advocate that congress change them. but he should refrain from putting i.c.e. officers in danger by likening them to one of the most appalling groups in history. assaults against i.c.e. officers are up over 400% from this time last "period" and part of that is because politicians like governor walz are careless. he should initiate an immediate apology to the men and women's protecting their communities. gov. hochul: i don't use language like that in describing anyone. we respect our law enforcement but also -- >> governor pritzker, do you agree with that association? associating i.c.e. officers with gestapo? gov. pritzker: i will say that i

understand the sentiments that people feel. >> we thank you for being reasonablel, next-door governor walz is a group that is meeting today, the zionist organization of america. and i spoke with morton klein, who is their national president, and he had this to say. and why do me to read this to you. as a child of holocaust survivals, who lost almost my whole family to gestapo nazis i find governor walz comparing american officials to nazi an insult. i demand he retracted apologized for this ugly, funny statement that diminishes the horror of the holocaust." i'm going to give you another chance, governor walz, do you apologized for your associating, your comparis-ing to i.c.e. states as gestapo? gov. walz: what i said, using an historical reference on

authoritarianism, watching in my state and across this country, -- >> it is a simple question. will you apologized to this jewish community, will, you apologized to jewish americans? gov. walz: i do not know mr. klein. i'll be glad to meet with him. >> let me ask you this question. are you any events that you regret from actions of illegal immigrants in your state? are there any, any events that come to mind, that you think of that way on you? -- weigh on your? gov. walz: any, something to harm someone. >> minnesota, april 25, i.c.e. arrested an illegal alien from ecuador charged with criminal sexual contact with the child. in minnesota on may 8, i.c.e. arrested an illegal alien from mexico for selling heroin, meth and sentinel.

mr. pritzker, and chicago, in illegal alien from mexico is charged with aggravated criminal sex abuse of a minor and released back into the public. in new york, on an was charged for slashing a victim with a machete. and released in january disappeared all -- all ignoring i.c.e. detainers and federal wars. rants. gov. walz: can you give the names of these individuals? >> these are true, somebody from axle door charged with criminal sexual -- someone from ecuador was charged with criminal sexual. gov. walz: if they follow their due process, and found guilty, we follow federal law. >> your states, on, refused to honor i.c.e. detainers, even for

illegal aliens, accused of serious crimes. the i.c.e. data shows 56 point -- 56,791 illegal aliens book for serious offenses in 2020 alone including 3000 for sex crime. >> the jim o'neill's back. the chair recognizes mr. crane from arizona. >> thank you, mr. chairman. governor walz you stated your opening statement, but nothing minnesota has done stands in the way of federal government managing its border security policy. governor i want to ask you why you lying to this committee? gov. walz: i am not. >> who is the top law enforcement officer in the state of minnesota? gov. walz: the top law enforcement officer, the attorney general. >> what is his name? gov. walz: are you ask me, do you know his name?

i know his name. ag ellison. >> this is an article, minnesota ag says will not enforce federal immigration laws. >> so order. >> why you lying to this critic, that is the top law enforcement officer of the state saying he will not comply with the federal government. gov. walz: nothing changes the fact that state law requires all state and county officials to ask for immigration status when a convicted felon -- >> i'm sorry, governor, he is, he is saying he will not comply with federal laws. gov. walz: nothing in the subpoena changes this. >> you are lying and misrepresenting yourself to this committee. now i want to ask you this. do you think, in that line of questioning, free health care, food assistance, free college tuition, drivers licenses, and cash assist as citizens, do you think that is helping or hurthing this government? gov. walz: minnesota ranks first in health care, we rank thi

rd -- >> let me answer that for you. it is certain. gov. walz: it is making a safer and more profitable. there's no sanctuary law in minnesota. >> you guys have not put it that way on the books but your state has every element in it that is consistent with the sanctuary state. moving on, mr. walz, how about you calling i.c.e. agents modern-day gestapo? do you think that helps our, our federal government carry out law enforcement? gov. walz: i think that -- identifying who you are in identifying the vehicles and making sure that everyone that is due process helps law enforcement i think covering your face is -- >> do you think that cut that helps, what does i.c.e. stand for, governor? immigration, custom, enforcement, right these are the guys tasked with enforcing immigration. >> that's right. it is not the state's job. >> do you think that calling them gestapo, none of the

messaging, none of the rhetoric to stand in the way of this administration doing what they've been tasked to do, is that what you're saying? gov. walz: i think that would help them is to follow due process and when they do these missions, do the things that we expect of law enforcement. >> how about when you went on anderson cooper, governor walz, you said how high is this wall? if it is 25 feet, i will invest in a 30 foot ladder factor. do you think that helps our federal government carry out its law enforcement, its border security and policy operations? gov. walz: when did i say that? >> you went on anderson cooper and said that. you not remember saying that because you said so many outlandish things you cannot even keep track of them? the clip is there for all americans. if you guys want to go watch it, it's an easy google. all right, governor, he recently went on gavin newsom's podcast. you stated in regards to maga noters, i scared them a little bit which is why they spend so much time on me. i'm serious because they know i can fix --

that's a direct quote. you also set on the show i think i could kick most of their asses. i want to be very clear, you do scare us a bit but it is not because you can fix the truck or change a tire. it's actually because of your radical left-wing agenda. you supported putting tampons in boys' bathrooms, you advocated for the disarming's of americans, their second mems crime cut your pro se tory city as we uncovered here today. you claim there is no guarantee to free speech when it comes to misinformation and hate speech. that right there is why the american people have such a hard time with you. it's because. it is not because we are crazy maga people, it is because of your radical left-wing agenda. i want to ask you on that last one, when you claim there is no guarantee to free speech, did you kick that up on one of your 30 trips to communist china, governor? that's sound like something they would do. yes or no? gov. walz: i don't believe hate

speech has a place. hate speech that incites violence. you said that >> how well did you do to white guys? lost by 22 points to white guys, because you have for you and you talk like you say you do, and you have this radical left-wing ideology bid, go on brother, will keep destroying you in elections. gov. walz: the people of minnesota will continue to have me serve them. >> chair recognizes mr. ramirez from illinois. >> thank you, chairman. i want to start by acknowledging governor pritzker from our great state of illinois and thank them for coming before the committee. especially given the deeply on serious nature of this hearing. i want to start by asking governor pritzker a few questions. governor, you have said that actions that bring all branches

of government underpin the guardrails of democracy, is your assessment that this administration's actions reflect the commitment to stand and respect of all branches of government or onto the guardrails of our democracy? gov. pritzker: thank you very much, congresswoman. it is good to see you. this administration has ignored court orders, this administration has ignored the laws that have been passed by the congress. this administration is in many ways telling its agencies not to follow what the laws and the regulations that have been on the books and this administration has been going after people individually and as groups that they believe our opponents of their, political opponents of theirs. that is not the way a president should operate. we ought to have a president that follows the rule of law does not break it. >> i agree there. in your budget address you noted that her state, the state of

illinois is among the best in the nation for work to talent. clean energy, educational and scientific institutions, and more. i could not agree with you more. our economy is over $1.1 trillion. the fifth largest in the u.s., and the 18th largest in the world. and i understand that we are one of only nine states including new york and minnesota whose taxpayers contribute more to the federal government than they receive. i want to make sure i put that to the record. this is who we are putting here at a hearing. governor, earlier this year you noted that the authority and playbook is laid bear. they point to a group of people that do not look like you and they tell you to blame them for your problems. governor pritzker, do you believe the trump administration is using the authoritarian playbook particularly as it relates to immigrant communities across the country? gov. pritzker: it's clear when you look at every action they have taken with regard to

immigration since they have taken office including going in and attacking our communities and the state of illinois. i think in the first week in office, tom homan, bringing dr. phil, with him, un seriously and bringing the very serious i.c.e. officials in to break down doors, to scare communities, to keep people from going to work and so on. it is clear that they are targeting communities of people who do not look like them to him and going after people that they think are opponents of theirs, or -- >> including united states senators. gov. pritzker: thank you, including alex padilla and by the way i want to say to all of you, all of you on both sides of a particular those on the republican side, that i cannot believe the disrespect that was shown to united states senator who was thrown down, handcuffed, and not allowed to ask a question of our secretary of homeland security, kristi noem.

that seems completely irrational. >> i agree with you. because i have a limited time, i want to show the footage because i think what you're saying has to be seen. i'm going to asked that we play a clip of senator padilla being wrongfully arrested while they are -- go ahead and play it. a. united states senator i want to make sure the people see. >> all right. lay flat. lay flat. >> other hand, sir. other hand. [handcuffs clicking] >> there is no recording allowed on here. >> they don't want your recording so that you do not see how they violate due process repeatedly. i want to make sure that you see that footage. this is united states senator. asking a question of secretary noem and -- in return

he is pulled from a press conference, shop to the floor, slammed to the ground with handcuffs, arrested for doing his job of oversight. let me go ahead and make sure that i say this clear because i serve in homeland security and i can tell you for a fact, they are weaponizing the government and the military against u.s. citizens. to exert control and suppress the -- dis ssent. i call that authoritarian. here's a point, terror, this is what they are doing. this hearing is a withc hunt against governors that were unsuccessful cities. but what we need here right now is secretary noem and dance answering questions and oversight why the hell she thinks that what happens to the senator is acceptable? >> hopefully get to see the beginning of the tape when he approached, the, the podium where the secretary was. >> to ask a question.

>> mr. chairman, senator padilla is currently in los angeles exercising his duty to perform congressional oversight of the federal government operations in los angeles and across california. it was in the wilshire federal building to receive a briefing with a general and was listening to secretary noem's press conference and he tried to ask the secretary question and was removed by federal agents, forced to the ground as your side and handcuffed. he is not currently detained and we are working to get additional information. and while we respect the senate's ability to review this as a primary investigation, we also echo ms. ramirez's statement that we would like to have an investigation of that incident here from beginning to end. >> you want to enter that into the record? >> i do.

>> without objection, so order. now the chair recognizes mr. mr. -- mr. jack. ok, wait a minute. we did two republicans we will go to mr. golden. >> i would urge you to reserve comment on what happened to mr. padilla until you get full information. in fact, i would urge all of my republican colleagues to take a breath before you once again desperately run to bend the knee to donald trump and kristi noem. because, anyone with two eyes that can see, can see that that was authoritarian, lawless behavior that no person in america, much less a senator conducting constitutional oversight, should have received. and i know it is hard for all of you to speak up against donald trump. and that is why we are here at

this hearing. talking all about joe biden. talking all about joe biden's policy that, policy them here at all of these people who committed crimes under joe biden. is it just because you are consistently trying to ignore the fact that joe biden is not president? donald trump is president. and what he's doing right now, which you all know, is he is going after people who are lawfully present. now, i appreciate the governors being here. i'm sorry you have to deal with this crap. governor hochul, especially, i want you to know, as a proud member of the delegation of your state, i'm not going to use my five minutes to mount a campaign for governor against you as my colleague from the north country chose to do. i will give you the opportunity to actually answer some questions. unlike she did. i will allow you to explain

exactly what the policies in new york are as it relates to cooperation between the state and federal agents. gov. hochul: first of all, glad you're not running against me. thank you. secondly, ij appreciate the opportunity to break through all the noise here today and to stop the talking points that keep mischaracterizing our policies in the great state of new york. new york is not a sanctuary or haven for criminals. we devote an enormous amount of our energy working to keep new yorkers safe, $2.5 billion i've allocated, the last few years. we do cooperate with i.c.e. when it comes to investigating or building a case against criminals. we do this all the time. and when someone goes through the criminal justice system in the state of new york, they do their time in prison, we alert i.c.e. as to when, 30 days in

advance, as to when they will be removed and we send them away. that is how it is supposed to work. but what we do not do under our laws is to vote -- divert essential resource to protect every day and have that help i.c.e. with civil immigration enforcement. that is the federal government's job. we cannot be told to enforce federal laws. it is not constitutional. >> or use all your limited resources to spend all that time doing their job. gov. hochul: my concern is that every minute that i.c.e. officers are going after moms and dads and kids and separating families, perhaps more room -- one more criminal is out there are large. why not focus on it? >> sorry to interrupt but i in my district office in lower manhattan witnessed i.c.e. officers waiting for immigrants to come out of a courtroom. these are immigrants who have asylum applications.

and i'm sure you agree with me that asylum is a lawful path which immigrate to this country, correct? gov. hochul: that is absolutely correct. >> so, in order to make these immigrants here unlawfully, the dhs is now dismissing their cases, their own removal proceedings to void out the asylum claim. that way, when they go downstairs to the elevated, there are i.c.e. agents that can be there, and to arrest them and put them an expedited removal. and they do not have an asylum claim that is live anymore because they have just avoided it out. these are non-criminal, these are non-violent, immigrants who are here going through lawful process. and this is who the trump administration is going after every single day. it's a disgrace. you asid you were going to go

after the worst of the worst. you said you would go after convicted criminals. you are questioning about all these criminals. you're going after people who actually are going through the lawful process. you say that they should. but, just because donald trump and stephen miller need to bump up their numbers because they cannot do a good enough job and actually finding convicted criminals, you are going after moms, dads, separating parents from children. you have a voice, republicans. speak up! i yield back. >> now chair recognizes mr. jack. ok. mr. mcguire from virginia. >> this is a yes or no question hopefully fast because i do not have much time. if you break the law, are your criminal? can you guys answer that quickly? we do not have much time. gov. pritzker: in certain circumstances, many circumstances, yes.

>> if you come across our border illegally, -- gov. pritzker: if you speed, are your criminal? >> according to the law, that is a crime. you come across the border illegally in your criminal. governor prisoner, or illegal aliens counted in the u.s. census? gov. pritzker: every person in the united states is cou nted. >> year after year, tens of thousands of u.s. citizens are fleeing the state of illinois, ranks only behind governor hochul's new york and governor newsom's california, you all are protecting and -- illegal aliens for political purposes. governor pritzker, would you support prohibiting illegal aliens from being counted in the census, yes or no? gov. pritzker: your numbers are wrong, sir. your numbers are wrong. >> yes or no. would you support prohibiting illegal aliens from being counted in the census? harbooring illegal aliens part

of a stretch to get more democrats in congress? all illegal aliens that committed a crime should be deported. in the act of violence, committed by an illegal aliens isn't entirely preventable to it all sanctuary jurisdictions are unlawful, each of you are breaking the law. and my message to you, the message from the people is you need to get straight. governor walz, just over three weeks ago you compared i.c.e. agents to uh, trump's, modern-day gestapo. do you regret those comments? gov. walz: i regret that law enforcement is not following best practices showing who they are, not taking people off the street, not giving due process. putting all of us at risk. >> there are men and women in law enforcement. yes or no, do you know i.c.e. officers are facing 413% increase in assaults? gov. walz: don't wear the mask, identify yourself and work with local law enforcement. >> your guys, your attacks on

i.c.e. officers are putting our law officers in deadly situation. president trump had no choice to step up and stop los angeles from burning buildings to the ground- did you see videos of riders throwing rocks the windows of police officers vehicles driving on the highway? did you guys see that? again, we did not have a country with our men and women in law enforcement, and 2023 you signed legislation to expand eligibility for taxpayer funded health care, and driver's licenses. let's take a look at some of the illegal aliens you so boldly want to support with taxpayer funds. i will probably say his name wrong but -- illegal alien from somalia, criminal history includes convictions of murder, dui and disorderly conduct

eric martinez, from mexico, a known member of 18th street gang, he served time in robbery and possession of a firearm. and marco brenda, and eat illegal alien from ecuador, he was convicted of illegal sexual conduct of a child. taxpayer -- bring in vicious dogs who are robbin' rapin' and killin our citizens. our americans are tired of this maga, to me it means make america great again, for all americans regarding regardless of property, race, religion or creed. america first. and that is why we won the presidency and we got the senate and the house. if you had a basketball team, and you hate your basketball team, you will never win. and we have a heart and love all people in the world. but we cannot take care of our country if we are allowing these illegal criminal aliens to rob, rape and kill the american

people. that is wrong and that is why we won. if you guys give it up, we'll keep winning. gov. walz: congress and, can i respond to the two cases? i think it is important you want to know what we are doing. mr. alamni was held in jail gov. walz: governor hochul, -- she fell asleep on a subway as she was set on fire and killed by illegal alien from guatemala. this could've been prevented. and what upsets me are strikes me the most is that a democrat run cities people are so desensitized by the violence and the policies that people just stood by and watched that happen. what can we do better? gov. hochul: the entire situation sickens me to know that that happened in our state. i up all crimes and that one was particularly heinous. that is why my law enforcement are dedicated to keeping the streets and subways and communities of our state safe. it is my number one party. it is how i've invested in norman's amounts of resources. and just for the record, we do

cooperate in criminal identification prosecution and removal of individuals who commit crimes who are not in this country legally. we want them deported pee-wee cooperate with i.c.e. every day of the week to make our streets safer. i'm not sure why that is not breaking through in this hearing how many times can we say that? we are not supporting this. we do not want these individuals here. we abhor this violence and crime. that should be the take away pit how can we work together, how can you do your job and help us secure the border and have more legal pathways for people who want to be here illegally and contribute to our economy, but not the criminals? we are not a sanctuary for any criminals. >> yield back. >> gentlemen's time is expired to the chair recognizes miss morrison from minnesota. >> thank you mr. chairman, i want to thank the witnesses for being here, especially you, governor walz. welcome back to the people's house. thank you for your distinguished service in the national guard,

24 years i believe your thank you for your service in congress and as our governor. i'm sorry you've not received the warmest welcome here today. but i would like to start by taking a moment to correct the record on a few points. i think all of us here would agree that violent criminals who are not citizens should not be in, full stop. but that is not what this hearing is about. this series about intimidation and striking fear in immigrant communities. this hearing unfortunately is not about moving forward with a comprehensive immigration reform our country so desperately needs. it is about distracting the american people from the disaster that has been the first few months of the trump administration and his republican majority in congress. much like our state, my congressional district is diverse. i represent many immigrant families who call our commuting home and we welcome them because they make our community stronger. i recently had the honor of attending a naturalization ceremony where we welcomed new americans from 85 different countries.

it was an incredibly moving day. an auditorium full of new americans, who are so excited and proud to join our great american project. the room was full of hope and patriotism. i could not have been more proud to welcome them and to participate in that day. we are a country of immigrants. it is what makes us strong and dynamic and unique in the world. my colleague's characterization of our state bears no resemblance to reality, would you agree, sir? minnesota is an incredible state with a wealth of business, industry, natural resources, beauty and rich diversity. and it's a state where working families thrive, as you know, governor we worked together for six years when i was in the state legislature and i am so proud of what we accomplished. during that time. we delivered for the people of minnesota the largest middle-class tax cut and the history of our state. historic investments in education, created a paid family medical leave program, that allows working families to care for their children and their

loved ones. codifying the right to comprehensive reproductive health care. and providing school breakfasts and lunches for k-12 students. if we want to talk about protecting our children and families, let's talk about the chaotic tariff war president trump starter which is serving to make life less affordable for families and decimating small businesses. let's talk about the 16 million people who are going to lose their health care or will have their health care taken away from them by the republicans and their ridiculously named big beautiful bill. let's talk about the millions of children who will go hungry if the republicans are successful in taking away their food assistance. governor walz, since my republican colleagues want to talk about threats to our children and families, let's talk about food insecurity. it has now been over two years since you signed the school meals legislation into law. what has been the impact of this program on fighting child hunger in minnesota? gov. walz: thank you,

congresswoman. and we miss you in minnesota. but glad you are here. well, the direct impact of families is a savings about $1700 a year to those families, that they are able to see and mostly middle-class but the real impact is on educational achievement. last year, minnesota was able to notch the highest graduation rates in our state history. we see school attendance rates go up. we see better behaviors, less discipline from it. so, it is a smart investment. it is the right thing to do. and the pay offer minnesota is we have a healthier, better educated workforce. which is why minnesota almost always ranks near the top and quality of life indicators. >> thank you, governor. i want to talk about the republican plan to take food assistance away from children families. if they're better becomes law, it would be the biggest cut to snap in history and jeopardize food assistance for millions across the country including 100,000 minnesota's common many of whom are children. would we agree with that republican proposal to cut snap

is one of the biggest threats facing children and families in minnesota right now? gov. walz: yes, coupled with medicare and medicaid cuts. >> also, governor walz, i just want to give you a moment to if there is anything you would like to clarify that has been said in this unbelievable committee hearing today, i do not even know what the adjective is. gov. walz: we have 30 seconds. we are here to work with you. you've heard time and time again we have a job to do as governor spared the federal government has a job to do. not doing i.c.e.'s job is not interference or not wanted to get these people. in then gemma asked the question and then left, the gentleman he brought up with, we hold them, we paid for and we called sha. -- understand why do not work together be successful. dhs.

none of us want the criminals a mystery but i went immigrants in minnesota who are contribute to our quality of life. te gentlelady's time is expired. chair recognizes miss bovary from colorado. >> the los angeles riots are certainly a shameful explosion of lawlessness that we are once again seeing the narrative has changed, and these rights but it certainly, um, the same type of actors. we are seeing businesses torched, cars torched. families uprooted, certainly communities that are scared. and this is by no means a peaceful protest. it is absolute chaos. and rioters do not get a free pass to burned-out cities because they are mad that our nation's laws are being upheld. that are federal agents are of their growth, and, doing what they were, uh, hired to do. our first responders deserve respect. they do not deserve to have

rocks thrown at them. and to be injured. let's be honest, this file is to not spark in a vacuum. sanctuary policies are magnet for trouble. they shield criminals, undermining the rule of law and governors, i sat here and i've heard you today, you say that safety is your number one priority. you want your communities safe. you want your people safe. and governor hochul, you just asked how can we can work together to ensure that happen that is exactly what we want to do. we want to talk about your safeway policy speed you're preventing us from working with you to keep europe community say because we went them safe as well. i have the same policies in colorado. that restrict our local law enforcement from coordinating with federal agents. and some of my counties have issued losses to end that. but this is serious, and we owe

it to every american to restore safety and enforce our laws. it is been stated that this is a federal law. it is not your job to uphold the federal law. we are not asking you to uphold it, we are asking her to step out of the way and allow the federal government to do the job. to uphold these laws. when you have someone, don't wait until they commit, a violent, heinous crime before we know their immigration status. so now we are seeing these riots everywhere, we have heard in 2020, it was mostly peaceful, cities burned down as people lost their lives as law enforcement officers lost their lives. i just want to ask you three governors, yes work no, -- yes or not, is the destruction of private and governmental property, is that something that fits under definition of a peaceful protest? governor walz, yes or no? gov. walz: no, it does not.

gov. pritzker: i find it hard to believe that you are lecturing us about peaceful protest or look at what happened january 6 here at the capitol. >> you want to talk about insurrection. gov. pritzker: you do not understand what insurrection is. people are trying to overturn an election. you were here, they were attacking you, by the way. >> i would expect the same. gov. pritzker: i'm answer your question. it is outrageous -- >> is a peaceful to destroy? gov. pritzker: when you are condoning the people who attacked the police right here at our capitol? >> it is been a long day. does that fit under your definition of a peaceful protest, the destruction of private and government property? gov. hochul: no and we feel for the business owners in the community. gov. pritzker: yes o >> yes or no, would lighting police cars fire fight under

peaceful protest? gov. walz: we reject that. >> throwing bricks or large rocks at officers, is that peaceful? gov. pritzker: whether it is in the los angeles. gov. hochul: no, it is not acceptable. gov. pritzker: governor pritzker, half you or have you not called for mass protests and mobilization and disruption? gov. pritzker: indeed, microphones, megaphones and going to the ballot box. >> well, they are responding in a much different way. president trump -- gov. pritzker: gov. pritzker: "this is a history of this country. rep. boebert: president trump has a different standard. gov. pritzker: inciting riots at the capitol? a boebert you have destruction as response to president trump's policies. this is all hypocritical.

you called up your national guard. you don't want president trump to come in and enforce the rule of law to keep communities safe. and your destructive tele-seas are harming american citizens. we should not have to wait until violence is committed to find out their legal status. we have 2 million unknown because of joe biden's administration, and we have to get them out of america, and i think president trump and his administration are doing just that. >> the chair recognizes ms. craig from minnesota. rep. craig: i think if i were a permanent member of this committee i would have a permanent headache. chair: you won't have to worry about it, but go ahead. rep. craig: governor -- governor walz, it is so good to see you today. we should all be against chaos. we all are for a safe and secure border and orderly immigration system. what we are seeing now, though, is chaos under the current

administration, with their blatant disregard for due process and their indiscriminate immigration executive orders. in fact, the trump administration's department of homeland security had to take down its posted sanctuary jurisdictions list because it created mass confusion for local officials, and was opposed by local law enforcement. so, governor walz, let me just start, just so we know the record is correct. i did not think minnesota was a sanctuary state. his minnesota century state, governor? sen. balls -- gov. walz: we are not. i have signed no such law and we follow the law. simple craig that list included 20 counties across minnesota with no line -- rhyme or reason, including the county i represent. i inquired why they are listed from dhs, but still absolutely no answers. governor walz, i thought it might be helpful to point out that according to the fbi's own

2023 data, minnesota has fewer violent incidents per 100,000 then states such as tennessee, louisiana, missouri, texas, alabama, georgia, i'm going to repeat that again, georgia, and ohio. why do you think our state has been able to maintain a lower crime rate than other states? gov. walz: thank you, congresswoman. we are at a 30 year low unserious crimes. i think that is because we invest in law enforcement, but law enforcement works with the community. there is a process in place. we know who they are. they work hand in hand. we make sure laws are followed. we also have policies where we show compassion to our neighbors. it is not chaos, as you said. it is done right. i am grateful for the law enforcement that does that work, but also grateful to the legislature, which -- and we

have put historic amounts of help make sure they can deliver those services. they are best trained to do it. in the case that you brought up, in minnesota, counties can go above the federal floor if they want to issue detainers. many of the counties that were listed in their would fit the definition of everyone on this side of the aisle is asking for it, and nothing prevents them in minnesota for doing that, and yet there is chaos, and law enforcement themselves and sheriffs association are issuing that it cannot be done this way. sen. crapo: earlier, i spoke with the minnesota chamber of congress and most of us sure the goals of lowering costs for our constituents and lowering the economy. according to a minnesota chamber foundation report from this february, minnesota's immigrant labor force participation rate was 70%, well above the national average, and the fill important jobs in our agriculture, health

care, and manufacturing sectors. how can we ensure minnesota remains a state to attract the talent we need and a strong economy? gov. walz: we invest in our people and make sure we remain the number one health care state. we make sure people are safe, focusing on the work that the state patrol keeps our roads safe. it is a top three state for the lowest number of traffic deaths. that is what they should be focusing on. minnesota is number four in fortune 500 companies per capita and a ranked the sixth best state for business, continuing to have a well educated, healthy, safe community, investing in opportunities for people. that is all we are asking. we are asking that the federal government do their job. you continue to ask states to do ice jobs. they are free to do their job in minnesota, but they are asking us to do the job. we're doing everything we can to help, but we have all of the other responsibilities of educating, public safety, roads,

transportation, water infrastructure. minnesota, we invest in our people. we invest in their growth. we invest in their families. sen. crapo: -- rep. craig: i appreciate this and i will lead the last 20 seconds to you. >> i am happy to take that. thank you very much. for these 12 seconds, i just want to read -- this is from a minnesota reformer from february 12, 2025. the sanctuary bill that was offered in the minnesota legislature is already dead, as house speaker says it does not have the votes. rep. lynch: so this was an attempt to make minnesota a sanctuary state, and like the speaker said, it did not have the votes, and it died very early in the process. gov. walz: and we got to the business of balancing our budget and investing in the other things we needed to do.

chair: ms. miller from illinois. rep. miller: thank you, chairman. evan or, illinois is at a crisis point. illegal aliens in our state have overwhelmed local communities and schools, causing untold pain and suffering, while costing illinois taxpayers billions. governor, in a recent report by capital news of illinois, you called for mass protests, for mobilization, and for disruption. chairman, i unanimous consent to submit the capital news of illinois report titled from's 100 days, pritzker calls for mass mobilization as he grows his national profile. chair: without objection, so ordered. rep. miller: before we go further, will you commit today to working with the trump administration and ice to ensure that the violence we see in los angeles does not occur in

chicago or anywhere else in our state, yes or no? rep. miller: -- gov. pritzker: thank you, cumbersome and miller. we work every day with the federal government to keep our state safe. all the time, we work with the federal government, law enforcement. rep. miller: i will take that as a yes. governor, you said earlier this afternoon that you were willing to, and i quote, stand in the way of tom homan, who i would like to note is carrying out federal law. i have before me numerous examples of illegal alien violence in illinois, but i want to highlight the story of joe abraham, whose daughter was tragically murdered by an illegal alien in central illinois under your watch, sir. i will now read this account. hello. my name is joe abraham. i am a father of three, and katie was my youngest.

katie had a beautiful soul, a sharp wit, and a huge personality. she loved life, and she lived it with authenticity, humor, and heart. she was the kind of person who succeeded at anything she put her mind to. she had a future full of promise. she was everything to our family. in the early hours of sunday, january 19, katie was writing in a honda civic with four friends. they were stopped at a red light when their car was struck from behind by an suv traveling 78 mph. the driver did not break. he did not swerve. he just slammed into them. the driver had previously been deported and was in the country illegally, using an alias. he was allegedly intoxicated. after the crash, he fled the scene on foot, without calling 911, without offering any help to the five women he had just hit. katie died at the scene, and

another young woman passed away the next day at the hospital. instead of staying to face what he had done, the driver fled bana, made his way to chicago, and boarded a bus headed to mexico. thankfully, he was captured before fleeing the country. we share katie story not just to honor her memory, but to raise awareness and to seek justice. no family should have to endure this type of loss. sir, the family is here. the father is here. would you like to apologize to katie's family? feel free to direct your comments to him. gov. pritzker: i am very sorry for their loss. rep. miller: i can only imagine what other instances have taken place but have not been reported. you have stated that illinois will not allow local police departments to assist ice as they work to address the illegal immigration crisis that you

helped to create. in light of the crimes that i have mentioned, do you stand by your policy of tying the hands of illinois law enforcement? gov. pritzker: you know, congresswoman miller, i'm not going to be lectured to by somebody who -- adolf hitler, of somebody who has allowed january 6. rep. miller:. i am make -- i am becoming my time. you stated on msnbc that, and i quote, i'm going to do everything i can to protect our undocumented immigrants. mr. chairman, s unanimous consent to submit a report into the record titled dem governor jb pritzker vows to do everything i can to affect our undocumented immigrants. gov. pritzker: that was talking about people who have lived in our state for decades now. rep. miller: these policies are

not only deadly, but have cost illinois taxpayers billions since 2022. governor, your state budget does not balance without massive yearly tax increases. this year, you hiked taxes by $800 million. your budgets fund the services of illegal -- gov. pritzker: that is inaccurate. nearly everything is mischaracterized in your statement. rep. miller: governor, i judge you based on your actions, not on your words, and what i can tell, you are doing everything in your power to roll out the red carpet for illegal aliens, to protect them, all at the expense of working people of illinois. your policies have been disastrous for the state, and they would be disastrous for our country. with that, i yield back. gov. pritzker: your failure has been a disaster. reppo supermen -- >> i first want to say that what happened this afternoon, this afternoon's

manhandling of senator alex padilla, when he sought to speak in a public press conference was wrong and should be condemned by both parties, by every member in this chamber. it follows a pattern in this administration of weaponizing law enforcement, using excessive force to attack peaceful protests and political opponents. and it is really terrible. we are talking about -- we are talking about what is going on in sanctuary states, quote unquote. i live in virginia and we are not a century state, but what is happening is that our sheriff's office is -- has made a decision to participate in the 287 g program, and basically, working with ice to show up in schools, show up in businesses, and try to basically attack kids, right? detain kids. and this is wrong.

and this is not what our country is about. so i do not want us to be supporting these types of actions. yesterday, in sterling, virginia, we had masked men show up to a courthouse and detain people, arrest people, and a lot of this is peaceful, and again follows this pattern of weaponizing law enforcement, and weaponizing the doj and other places to attack political opponents, attack peaceful protests, and to go around trying to make a political point, because i think that's what this is really about. this is about politics, and this is about using law enforcement to show strength, but that is not strength. that is not strength. so the other thing about this is none of this is making our communities safer, and none of

this is good for our country. and so i want to ask governor walz -- do these raids and do these actions and this use of law enforcement -- visit making folks in minnesota safer? gov. walz: thank you, come rissman. in my opinion, no. it is causing chaos and fear. characterizing folks waiting on asylum claims, trying to become naturalized -- it causes chaos. the other thing it causes -- local law enforcement -- they lose trust in the community. it puts them at risk. the lack of coordination that we hear that no calls are coming -- we always coordinate. in the past, democratic and republican administration's have coordinated with us. we are not seeing it. it is creating chaos and fear. yes, these violent criminals, we hold them. we call dhs, but they are not at a preschool. that is what we have to get right. get us a bipartisan bill that

makes sure that folks can get processed and be documented, and let's make this country prosperous. rep. subramanyam: that is a great point. why don't we do a bipartisan immigration reform bill? we can strengthen a border. we can find a path for those who have been here a long time. we can actually solve this problem in congress. instead, we are going around with masked men intimidating people, throwing u.s. senators to the ground, and not solving any problem. werner pritzker, i have talked to a lot of businesses in my community who are really concerned about what is going on, and this is not good for our economy either. i ask you, governor pritzker, what do you feel? is this making folks in your state safer or better off? gov. pritzker: congressman, thank you, and no. this is making us worse off. it is actually harming public safety. it is frightening our communities. and frankly, if you are one of

the u.s. citizens that are getting taken off the streets, people who are here in this country legally, taken off the streets, imagine what effect that has on the rest of the population. in my state, we reject that. the values of the people of the state of illinois reject that. i just want to say, because congresswoman miller would not allow me to, i want to say very importantly that anyone who is condoning $400 million airplane going to the president of the united states from the qatari's, who would spy on us in and instant, if they were able to do this -- anybody who is condoning the president of the united states accepting the chinese communist party money to his family through his mean coin, i mean, that is corruption. and yet that is what congresswoman miller is condoning. she is the one who thinks it is ok to pardon people who attacked police right here at the capitol. thank you for giving me that moment.

chair: the chair recognizes ms. fischer pack from minnesota. rep. fischbach: thank you, mr. chair. i will just say that oversight is far likelier than ways and means. and governor walz, i want to say thank you for being here, because i know you have been very busy running around the country giving speeches and having town halls in republican states. gov. walz: passing balanced budgets. rep. fischbach: you were running around while they were passing that. gov. walz: i'm a multitasker. rep. fischbach: there are questions about policies that provide benefits for illegal aliens, and i understand that you were going to say minnesota is not a sanctuary state per se, because the legislation was not passed. just a yes or no question. ranking member lynch had mentioned that there was a bill that was introduced for sanctuary state this year in the minnesota legislature.

would you have signed that bill? did you support that bill? gov. walz: thousands of bills introduced, hypothetical. we don't have it. rep. fischbach: but we all know that you probably had some opinion on that bill, and you are just choosing not to answer because the answer was probably yes, you would have signed that bill, had it passed. but, like mr. amber, mr. crane, mr. maguire -- i think a bunch of them mentioned the policies that minnesota has, so yes, i understand, you are not a century state per se, but the policies are certainly making it into i think, as i recall -- you mentioned driver's license for all, you mentioned the medicaid benefits. you know, so you are -- you in essence are a sanctuary state. gov. walz: you know the sheriff supported the driver's license

bill. the hospitals. rep. fischbach: governor, and certainly aware of that. i served many years in the legislature. i have many friends there. i understand that. but in essence, they are creating a sanctuary state in practice. and so we are going to talk a little bit about the legislature. just earlier this week, both chambers of the minnesota legislature passed a bill you are probably familiar with. i don't know if you have signed it yet or not. it repeals minnesota care eligibility for illegal immigrants ages 18 and older. with that recent repeal of eligibility for illegal immigrants, a policy that initially -- it is after my time -- was enacted, in 2023, under your administration. it is now being reversed with those budget negotiations. i was just wondering, first of all, do you know how many illegal immigrants were covered and are currently covered in minnesota with medicaid? gov. walz: i don't have the

exact number. it is not medicaid. it is state that does this through minnesota care. rep. fischbach: you still don't know how many? so all of those negotiations you were deeply involved in earlier that you mentioned you were involved in -- that number never came up? gov. pritzker: -- gov. walz: i don't have it in front of me right now. we could certainly get it to you. rep. fischbach: i would love to have that. i understand -- did you support that provision that -- gov. walz: i will sign it into law. rep. fischbach: did you support it during the negotiations? gov. walz: i'm going to sign the bill. rep. fischbach: the negotiations -- gov. walz: we are very good about it. that is why we have a balanced budget. i negotiated with the republicans. you know, congresswoman, that hospitals have uncompensated care. rep. fischbach: reclaiming my time because you are trying to

-- trench change the subject. i asked you specifically, during negotiations, did you support the provision to eliminate illegal immigrants from health care. gov. walz: it's a question that makes no sense. at the end of the negotiation, i will sign it. rep. fischbach: you are in congress. you understand what reclaiming your time means. you understand that. i guess, there were concerns about snap provisions being cut, and -- but you supported that. i mean, you supported that over the health care to illegal immigrants. i guess i am confused about it because you had other cuts you had to make. so what did you -- all of the things you guys have been talking about -- law enforcement, education, school breakfast and lunch -- did you cut that during budget negotiations this year? my understanding is that you have a deficit. gov. walz: we don't.

we have a budget surplus, as you know. rep. fischbach: long-term. you had to make cuts this year. gov. walz: we have a balanced budget we agreed on. he left $1.9 billion on the bottom line for this biennium. rep. fischbach: but your structural budget had to be cut. you had to make cuts. no, you did not make any cuts? gov. walz: we balanced a budget. we moved in we invested. rep. fischbach: i have one more thing and i'm running out of time. i really do want to talk about -- you mentioned civility, or someone mention civility. there was a discussion about civility. and it just -- mr. fallon had mentioned how you had said you want to kick republican -- you mentioned bullying. there is another thing where you said you were going to kick president trump. all kinds of things. and then you had a discussion about civility. i am embarrassed. you say you are an educator, and

you are the governor of my state that i'm supposed to be proud of, and this is the kind of garbage, the example you are setting for our children, that you are telling people to bully each other? and i try hard not to say those kinds of things because i understand that it is meaningful when you hold a position like this. you should not be saying things like that. gov. walz: but you support the president's ladies -- presidents language? rep. fischbach: the president is not in front of me right now. chair: the chair recognizes the ranking member. >> thank, mr. chairman. i have a statement from a distinguished or presented from minnesota that moves that the soda's crime is declining, 30 year low. it is one of the best places to raise a family in america, and it is not a century state. chair: the chair recognizes mr. lawler from new york. rep. lawler: governor hochul, new york has spent billions of dollars of taxpayer money providing free food and health

care to illegal immigrants. meanwhile, you are charging hard-working new yorkers $2500 annually for the privilege of driving to work. speaking of driving, when you ran for congress, did you oppose giving driver's licenses to illegals, yes or no? gov. hochul: no, that was previous to that. reppo lawyer -- rep. lawler: you had a commercial. did you oppose giving drivers licenses to illegals when you were running for congress, yes or no? gov. hochul: at the time i did, and i will tell you why. rep. lawler: yes or no. claiming my nine -- my time. governor, yes or no. do you support -- gov. hochul: to go to their jobs. chair: governor, answer the question. rep. lawler: you try to deflect. the fact is you did support giving illegals drivers licenses. i oppose giving illegals driver licenses.

now you support it. do you support illegal immigrants getting taxpayer-funded health care, yes or no? gov. hochul: we provide health care to people in need, including moms with new babies. rep. lawler: do you support giving illegal immigrants taxpayer-funded health care. gov. hochul: we support giving money -- rep. lawler: expand health care access under medicaid. gov. hochul: for senior citizens, babies. i would do it over again. rep. lawler: reclaim my time. you said someone breaks the law, i will be the first one to call eyes and say get them out of here. governor, have you personally called ice and asked them to get anyone out of new york? gov. hochul: as the governor of new york i have an entire state police force. rep. lawler: have you called ice and asked them to get anyone out of new york. gov. hochul: my state police act my agency, so when i say me, i'm referring to my entities, such as the state police. rep. lawler: like governor cuomo, i am the government? gov. hochul: that is your

characterization. rep. lawler: should ice have been called on [indiscernible] he is the individual who burned a woman alive on the train. should ice have been called on him? gov. hochul: nypd was handling that situation. rep. lawler: should ice have been called? gov. hochul: if there was an arrest made, he should have been deported after conviction, yes. rep. lawler: you signed an executive order keeping many of governor cuomo's executive orders in place, including eo 170. you did not include io -- eo 170.1. gov. hochul: i don't have it in front of me. i have thousands of -- reppo lawyer -- rep. lawler: i have it right here. gov. hochul: i'm sure you do. rep. lawler: you waited until generally 16 of this year, in which you finally signed it and reinstated it into law. why did you wait until just four days before donald trump was

sworn in as president to sign io 170.1 into law? it mandates that federal immigration authorities cannot enforce civil arrests in new york state buildings. why did you wait several years to reinstate that? gov. hochul: because we had a high level confidence that under the previous administration the people going to the courthouses, whether they are victims of crimes, witnesses of crimes, would have their rights protected. rep. lawler: you believe they would not enforce federal immigration law and you were concerned that president and his administration would enforce federal integration law? gov. hochul: we thought it was important that victims of crimes and witnesses to murders could have access to court without being threatened. rep. lawler: speaking of crime, more than 3200 illegal immigrants have been arrested in new york city for committing crimes while living in taxpayer-funded housing under your watch, governor. are you aware of any law or

executive order that would prevent a citizen of the united states from facing criminal or civil enforcement in the state? gov. hochul: not aware. rep. lawler: so you think citizens should have less protections than illegal immigrants? gov. hochul: our state laws say we cooperate in all federal cases. i made that very clear. rep. lawler: but you are not doing that as the reality. do you support the new york for all act? reclaiming my time. do you support the new york for all act? gov. hochul: i'm not speaking on hypothetical bills. rep. lawler: this is not hypothetical. there was a city and in the state legislature today blocking state senators from coming into the chamber. do you support the new york for all act? gov. hochul: i will tell you this. i get about a thousand bills put on my desk. this is keeping me from doing work back home.

rep. lawler: you have done a terrible job as governor. it is not keeping you from anything. new york is better off keeping you down here and not in the state. the fact is, governor, you will support the new york for all act. you will sign into law if it passes. gov. hochul: i have no confidence it is going to pass. i don't know. . i have thousand bills. rep. lawler: would you sign into law if it passed? you have to wait and see? you cannot take a position? it would put into state statute that new york is a sanctuary state. that is why you are here. that is the exact reason why you are sitting in front of us, testifying, because of your disastrous eo's, your disastrous pro-criminal policies that have resulted in the death of new yorkers. that is your failure. the fact is that you cannot even answer the question. gov. hochul: the reason i'm sitting here is because republicans are trying to pass a

big bad ugly bill that's going to hurt them. chair: governor, would you sign the bill? gov. hochul: ask anybody in the state. i never say i'm going to vote on a bill until it lands on a desk. rep. lawler: you are governor of the state. gov. hochul: well aware. rep. lawler: it is shameful you cannot even answer the question. gov. hochul: when it lands on my desk, i will do the proper -- this is how you become a governor. chair: the chair recognizes the ranking member. >> mr. chairman, i have a number of unanimous consent requests from the national immigration center. the national immigration justice center and the alliance for immigrants. chair: the chair recognizes mr. stolberg from minnesota. reppo stolberg -- >> thank you for being here today and i ask you to keep your remarks brief.

as you know, i spent 23 years as a law-enforcement officer in the state of minnesota. you know that, right? you know that? yes or no? it is not a trick question. funny three years in duluth. -- 23 years in duluth. gov. walz: thank you for that. >> do you recognize this picture? gov. walz: i do recognize the picture. >> with the describe it. what is going on? gov. walz: these were folks -- i believe they are now incarcerated. >> it is a building burning down because of your decision. was this a peaceful protest? was this a peaceful protest? gov. walz: the gentleman standing there? >> was this a peaceful protest? gov. walz: that was a criminal act that people were prosecuted for. >> so it was not a peaceful protest, right? as i watched the devastation in los angeles this past week, i was reminded of your failure to protect minnesota from similar

riots. governor walz, on may 29, during your own press conference, you described your response to riots during the 2020 summer of love as "abject failure." could not agree with you more. gov. walz: that is out of context. >> on may 17, 2025, you went to law school, minnesota law school, and talk to graduates. we talked about this. you call the enforcement of illegal immigrants modern-day gestapo. you have been asked three or four times if you would resend that, and you won't. will you resend it? this is like the fifth time. yes or no? gov. walz: you can talk to law students about due process. >> was there a violent al-shabaab terrorist to entered our country illegally arrested in minneapolis last year? yes, there was. where their three child predators arrested by ice in st. paul earlier this year?

gov. walz: i certainly hope so. that is their job. >> yes, there was. are the officers who arrested the al-shabaab terrorists or the child predators -- are the nazis or gestapo? gov. walz: the tactics of wearing -- the tactics of wearing masks, unidentified, without due process -- >> why did you tell us they are the gestapo? do you believe that any of the illegal immigrants i mentioned have a right to be in this country? gov. walz: i don't know what their immigration status was. >> they are illegal violent criminals that ice took off the streets of minneapolis! gov. walz: you did not say, congressman, what years -- what their status was. >> they took 900 pounds of meth off the streets. do you support that? gov. walz: we certainly do. fentanyl -- >> do you know i subsisted in

those arrests and investigations? do you support the assistance of ice in that enforcement action, yes or no? gov. walz: i cannot speak to things that were not included in the briefing. >> i'm telling you they were. gov. walz: i don't have that data. i would have to trust you. >> would you apologize to our constituents and law enforcement officers for making them and their emily's less safe with your -- and their families less safe with your incendiary actions? gov. walz: i will congratulate them if they help us work on the largest pension bill for minnesota law enforcement in 30 years. >> governor, what weapons did you carry in war? gov. walz: congressman, 424 years, i carried -- >> know, what weapons did you carry in war! gov. walz: what did you carry? you know i misspoke. >> you lied to minnesotans! you said that you carried weapons and war! that is stolen

valor! my wife served 25 years in the military! she is an iraq war veteran! that is stolen valor and i am -- gov. walz: point of order. chair: point of order. >> stolen valor! you didn't carry weapons in war! gov. walz: congressman, my 24 years with public -- >> you apologize for lying! >> objection. that is not questioning a witness. that is not questioning a witness. chair: point of order. state your point. >> you are hectoring. you are hectoring. >> governor, you did not carry weapons of war, did you? >> you made your point. gov. walz: you know i misspoke. >> governor, what rank did you retire at? gov. walz: congress meant, i served my battalion as the command sergeant. >> what right did you retire at?

gov. walz: i retired an e.a. gov. walz: -- >> you retired at a command sergeant major. gov. walz: i wore the rank. >> you did not retire, did you? stolen valor! here is a picture of your challenge coin. i'm disgusted with you. >> chairman, the time has expired. >> you called half from supporters nazis and fascists, and that is why the minnesota police association did not support you in the last election! gov. walz: well, i support them. >> on behalf of the folks from the land of rocks and cows! [gavel] chair: the chair recognizes ms. tilly from new york. rep. kelly: thank you for allowing me to be in this

important oversight hearing. happy to have the governors here to hopefully answer some questions. just to address a couple things that i have heard in this committee hearing -- i have appeared in oversight before. i do serve on the much milder ways and means committee. i want to say a couple of things about this committee, what we are doing today, about sanctuary cities. we are all children of immigrants. my grandparents met at ellis island. they sat in quarantine. they came here to work. this is why this hearing is about people who have taken advantage of our borders and our country, who have come in as illegal cartels who are overrun in my district in new york 24, and these people have taken operational control of our southern and northern border. we need our governors to make sure that they are providing the law enforcement backup, and not assisting and aiding and forgetting these immigrants. particularly the cartels.

i'm sick of having everyone defending my constituent. tom homan is doing an excellent job and served our country honorably. his big concern -- i think it is a big concern for me. governor hochul was not there when i was in the state legislature, as lieutenant governor or governor. but i was one of the leaders on human trafficking. in one of the important questions that tom homan talked about repeatedly is, where are the 300,000 children -- children who were human trafficked -- by people who were profiting off of this human trafficking. human trafficking. innocent children all through our interior. we don't know who they are. those are the people i'm concerned about. what isis trying to do is get to those people who are taking these children and profiting off them, and having no regard. that is what worries me most. we have gotten off track on a number of things. what concerns me is we have this defund and demoralize the police

movement, brought to a level of defunding and demoralizing ice agents who are simply doing their job to protect our borders. what concerns me -- governor hochul, i'm going to address you because you are my governor. people address the billions of dollars that new york state taxpayers, the way the highest taxpayers in the entire nation no -- we are always in a struggle with california. who is more? who is less? i think we are winning the race no. not a good distinction, by the way. not a good distinction to have a northern border that is overrun by human trafficking, bringing illicit drugs into our communities. i have had three parents in my own home community where their sons died of overdoses because of illegal fentanyl. these are real issues that are coming from people that are coming across our borders. we know we have spent billions of dollars on all kinds of illegal immigrants in new york state. the estimate is between new york city and new york state. it is about $7 billion.

that is new york tax dollars come up tax dollars. people i serve who go to work every day. all we are trying to do is keep these people safe. you were talking about keeping these communities safe. i'm one to ask you a question. i have got a series of questions. some of them have been asked by my colleagues. i'm one to ask you right now, because you are the governor of our state and you have been presiding over a pretty disastrous situation with our prisons, including one of the notch -- and one of them including a maximum-security prison, is in my district. are there criminal illegal gang members in the new york city prison system -- in the new york prison system right now? if there are, i want to know how many. if you cannot get me the answer, can the staff provide us with general information on that? gov. hochul: i will tell you this. i totally agree with you that more needs to be done to protect our border. we have asked for support from the federal government for the border that you represent and know so well. i have had to deploy $8 million of my own state dollars to amp

up -- >> there are state dollars. but let me get to the prisons because i want to get into another thing. are there criminal illegal immigrant gang members in the new york state prison system right now? gov. hochul: if there are, there will be -- >> do you know? gov. hochul: i'm sure there are. regarding -- we already had ice take 1300 of them. >> i'm not asking you that. can you get information about how many of those are ms 13, crips, bloods? i have toward the prisons. how many are illegal immigrants that are putting other inmates at risk that also are prison guards? these people in our prison system are putting our corrections officers at risk. by you shutting down and cutting off the ability of our corrections officers, who are trained to deal with these kind of people -- we are losing the ability of having trained people

here and our national guard are wonderful. but they are not trained to be able to do this and many of them are underage. can i get the information from you on that? gov. hochul: i want to refer that -- when someone is convicted of a crime in our prison, they will be deported. we let ice know 30 days before the end of their sentence. that is why i have sent 1300 people already just since i have been governor out of our country. i don't want them here anymore than you do. >> you talked about you don't support a sanctuary city. right now we have your lieutenant governor, this was signed into law under governor cuomo -- we have the green light law. it prohibits the local dmv's -- it gives drivers licenses to illegal aliens, which you once did not support, but now you do. under the green light law, would you support repealing the green light law so we can allow ice agents to work with our dmv to find out when these people drive across the canadian border and they have a carload for the venison children, and they can't

find any information on them because they have an illegal license? can you give me that information? >> the last question. feel free to answer. gov. hochul: we absolutely share information with such situations on ice. that is our job. >> mr. chairman, i appreciate your indulgence for letting me be on the committee today. i want to welcome our governors here today. governor pritzker, on behalf of my constituents and myself, i have serious concerns about the current state of illinois and the continued direction your administration is taking when it comes to sanctuary policies. i know we have talked about that today. i want to be clear. your sweeping sanctuary policies are not just misguided in my opinion, but they are dangerous. your agenda puts ideology above public safety, ties the hands of law enforcement, and signals to violent criminal illegal immigrants that illinois is a safe haven. your administration has made the state of illinois among the

national outliers for defying federal law, and you have doubled down on policies like the illinois way forward act, which is legislation you proposed and signed. that prohibits local law enforcement from cooperating with ice. including in cases involving violent criminals. you honestly believe that refusing to turn over convicted felons to federal authorities mix our community safer. as a former federal and state prosecutor who has worked closely with law enforcement, none of that makes us safer or makes law enforcement feel comfortable. instead of working with federal law enforcement to remove dangerous individuals from our streets in chicago and across illinois, you are creating bureaucratic roadblocks and political cover. in my view, that is not leadership. it is government malpractice. illinois families are already struggling with the highest combined state and local tax burden in the country. they should not be forced to

subsidize over $2.5 billion in taxpayer money that has been spent on illegal immigrants over the last four years, from our century policies in illinois. i want to mention to specific cases although i could talk about more. a tragic case involving the family of a 63-year-old man who was murdered by a pair of illegal immigrants who were arrested in chicago in january. he was found bound with duct tape and his legs tied with an extension cord. the title of an article was two migrant men beat chicago businessman to death, left him bound, gagged, prosecutors say, they did ferry 1, 2025. under your sexually policies in the state of illinois. i would like to submit that for the record. the second is the case of two families. i want to highlight chloe and catherine, two girls in the early 20's who were killed in a fatal hit and run by an illegal immigrant in illinois.

again, the title from that article -- glenview family seeks justice after migrant suspect kills daughter and friend in urbana hit and run. i would like to submit that for the record. and so i guess the question for you -- as you hear these stories and there are many others, does it cause you to rethink your sanctuary city policies or regret some of the policies you have taken as relates to sanctuary cities? gov. pritzker: thank you, congressman. i'm glad to see you here. i know you are unwilling to meet with your constituents about the medicaid cuts. rep. lahood: i thought you might not answer the question. i'm going to reclaim my time, because you did not answer the question, which i thought you would. when i asked -- when you hear about victims that suffer violence because of illegal migrants in a sanctuary city state, you said -- we claiming my time. governor pritzker, you mentioned -- gov. pritzker: these are heinous

crimes. you are the federal government. you all have the ability to fix this. do your job. do your job, congressman. rep. lahood: i would deflect instead of answering those questions. you said earlier, in a response to a question from chairman, or, that you have -- from the chairman, that you have been critical of president biden and his border policies. he cited a letter, october 2, 20 23, that you authored. i pulled the letter and i was looking for criticism of the biden border policy. three pages. nothing in there. and when to submit it for the record so everybody can see it. october 2, 2023. not one mention of being critical. gov. pritzker: public statements on national programs? rep. lahood: it is not your time. it was mentioned earlier all these rosy statistics about illinois. i want to mention a couple that were not mention. illinois is the leader in

outmigration, people leaving the state of illinois. we have led come for the last four years, five years -- we lost a congressional seat, as you are well aware. we found the lowest population in the city of chicago. people continue to flee illinois. we have the fifth highest on and plummet right in the country, the second-highest property tax rate, the fifth highest illegal immigration population in the country, with over 500,000 illegal immigrants in illinois. none of it got mention, but that is the reality. to be honest with you, i wish you did not have to be here today as my governor. unfortunately, because of your failed policies, spotlighted illinois, and that truly is unfortunate, and i yield back. gov. pritzker: half of that is completely false and needs to be corrected, and i will if given a moment to speak. our population is increasing. we have a higher population as a result of the census that was done in 2020.

it was your republican governor -- >> governor, you don't have time to answer that. gov. pritzker: you work part of those policies. we are turning it around. >> the chair recognizes mr. jack. >> thank, mr. chairman. as the last question are today, mr. walls, i think you are not going to need any more mountain dew after this. just one thing, just to kind of bring this entire hearing back into the perspective, just to help us understand in this committee understand the policies of your administrations , starting with governor walz -- do you accept u.s. code which establishes that improper entry into our country is illegal and enforceable by the federal government? gov. walz: proper entry meaning not asking for -- rep. jack: as an illegal and therefore criminal act. gov. walz: civil in some cases, criminal and others, yes. rep. jack: just establishing

that your administration respects that u.s. code believes -- u.s. code affirms and your administration believes that improper entry into our country is an illegal act and therefore criminal? rep. jack: as the federal code set -- gov. walz: as the federal code says, we believe it. gov. hochul: it depends how the federal immigration authorities enforce it, sometimes it is civil and sometimes on the criminal side. it is up to them to make that determination. rep. jack: one of the reasons why we just want to establish that is, with respect to illegal immigration, you were elected in your states, but your state's policies affect might state in georgia, affect my constituents in georgia. when you create policies that incentivize illegal immigration, incentivize folks crossing illegally, bringing criminals into our country, it challenges -- a present challenges to us. it present challenges to our ability to protect our constituents. every person on this panel has a story, a painful story, about an

illegal immigrant taking the lives of those within our districts. in my district alone in columbus, georgia, a doctor was killed by a drunk driver illegally in our country. we have talked about that ought -- that at nausea. we are also talking about a financial program that is associated with those of us who represent georgia and other states. georgia alone, i want for the record to note that $553 has been associated with the increased cost and increased burdens of my constituents because of illegal immigrants within our state. in our closing time, we had mayor brandon johnson testified before us. i know you have at times expressed concerns about how he has run his administration in chicago. i'm curious if you support one of the things we talked about in this committee. perhaps you prepared for it. it was a directive he sent to chicago police, erecting them not to cooperate with federal law enforcement enforcing immigration. do you support that action from

mayor johnson? gov. walz: i support action -- gov. pritzker: i support actions that follow state and federal law. rep. jack: do you think he has done a good job with law enforcement question mark gov. walz: law enforcement has increased since the choice of barry snelling is the superintendent of police in the city of chicago. rep. jack: what grade would you give mayor johnson? gov. walz: i would not grade the mayor. i would say that snelling is doing an excellent job as superintendent. rep. jack: governor walz, you bring an interesting perspective to this conversation because you were just a candidate for national office on the ticket that lost. exit polls show a clear bipartisan majority of americans trust president trump to effectively handle aggression. recent polling affirms americans overwhelmingly support president trumps immigration policies by a 30% margin. even cbs published a survey that shows six of 10 americans say it is important to deport illegal aliens. we have established that coming across the border is coronal.

i'm curious, given americans overwhelming support a president trumps immigration policies, do you believe your record on immigration is one of the reasons you lost the vice presidency? gov. walz: i'm not familiar with the polls you are talking about. i can only speak about minnesota. there is an anger with how it is being carried out. no one doubts that we need to fix this. what they don't see is a united states senator being taken down for asking a question or a four-year-old girl with cancer being taken out of the country. that is the frustration. rep. jack: i'm curious, what issues do you believe you failed to litigate properly with voters? gov. walz: i will let history relitigate that. rep. jack: on why immigration was so bad -- when did you first become aware of president biden's cognitive decline? gov. walz: i don't have the expertise to judge.

rep. jack: did you have conversations with vice president harris at any point about his cognitive decline? gov. walz: i don't recall. rep. jack: thank you for convening this hearing and thank you to your attention to all the communities you serve. chair: the gentleman leads back. because we had some members on our side that went over, i'm going to yield two minutes to mr. lynch. rep. lynch: thank you. just want to update the gentleman on the most recent polls. you are right, the president did have a favorable mark on his immigration policy early on, but since the snatch and grabs have started he is underwater 54% of the american people oppose him, his current policy, his active policy he has going on right now. with that, i know, governor pritzker, you had a desire to fire back at some of the allegations to you. you have that opportunity now. i yield you as much time as you need, although if you have any left over, you can yield to your

colleagues. gov. pritzker: i appreciate it and i am a sharer. thank you very much, congressman. let me just say that i am so proud of my state and the way we have operated, particularly in the last six and a half years, to protect people, and public safety is so important in our state. i have increased the number of state police in illinois, actually to highs that did not exist before. my predecessor, a republican governor. we also have done a lot to invest in violence prevention. and you have seen the result of that, and the fact that we have band assault weapons, that we have band ghost guns. i asked the members of congress, the members of this committee, to work to ban assault weapons across the united states. it worked back in the 1990's. it would work again if you pass it, to lower the crime rate and lower the homicide rate. we have so much work to do as a

country on immigration reform. and i don't understand why, about 50/50 -- this congress is about 50/50 between the parties. isn't it about time that you got together and got comprehensive immigration reform done? we have seen it over the last 40 years, attempt along the way. it feels every time because republican members are walking away from the table. you all are in control of the congress and the presidency. you can get together with democrats and get something put together that will secure our border and have a big door that allows people to come who are working hard, who will raise families in the united states and help our economy. rep. lynch: governor walz, you took some incoming today. closing remarks? gov. walz: acting number, thank you to you, and the folks sitting along the wall, thank all of you for coming. chairman, thank you for