▶ 0:20:59This hearing of the committee on oversight and government reform will come to order. Want to welcome everyone here today. Without objection, the chair can declare a recess at any I now recognize myself for the purpose of making an opening statement. Good morning.
▶ 0:21:26Today, the House Oversight Committee will continue to examine the consequences of reckless and dangerous sanctuary policies that jeopardize public safety. Three sanctuary state governors from Minnesota, New York, and Illinois are here to testify under oath about why they allow criminal illegal aliens to roam free in American communities. Let me be clear. Sanctuary policies do not protect Americans.
▶ 0:21:53They protect criminal illegal aliens. That is a fact that the Abraham family knows all too well. With us today is the father of Katie Abraham, Joe, and Katie's stepmother, Michelle. In January of this year, Katie was tragically killed in a car crash near the University of Illinois in Urbana. Urbana, like the states of Illinois, like the state of Illinois, is a sanctuary jurisdiction.
▶ 0:22:24Katie's killer was a previously deported criminal illegal alien who was driving drunk. He fled the scene and the jurisdiction and was later apprehended by the US Marshall Service in Texas. Katie was just 20 years old. She had a bright future ahead of her that was stolen from her and her very loving The illegal alien who took Katie's life should never have been allowed into our country. This was a preventable crime.
▶ 0:22:54Unfortunately, there are too many instances where criminal illegal aliens have harmed Americans. Behind me are photos of some of the many criminal illegal aliens that have been captured in Illinois, Minnesota, and New York. These criminals have been convicted of crimes including vehicular homicide of a woman, sexual abuse of children, slashing a victim with a machete, and carjacking among many other crimes.
▶ 0:23:20It's absolutely sickening that sanctuary jurisdictions seek to protect these criminals rather than protect Americans. Instead of putting America first, the Biden Harris administration deliberately dismantled the border security to unleash the worst border disaster in American history. Their radical policies allowed millions of illegals to flood into our country.
▶ 0:23:43Americans voted to end the Biden border crisis and President Trump has delivered on his promise to secure the border. He has taken bold, decisive action to restore our sovereignty and make America safer with each passing day. And here in Congress, we are working to pass the one big beautiful bill to fund US immigration and customs enforcement so it can carry out the mass deportation of criminal illegal aliens.
▶ 0:24:13Despite President Trump's efforts to secure the border and enforce the law, Democrat-run sanctuary cities and states are siding with illegal aliens. For today's Democrat party, it seems unlimited illegal immigration isn't a failure of policy. It is the policy. And that agenda is being pushed at every level of government.
▶ 0:24:36And this comes at a steep cost to public safety, strains law enforcement resources, and imposes a massive financial burden on both federal and state taxpayers. That's not just bad policy. It is a serious oversight failure. Congress must confront this absurd reality. State and local officials are actively undermining federal immigration enforcement, even when it's aimed at making their own communities safer.
▶ 0:25:04It's time to determine what legislative action is needed to stop this subversion and restore the rule of law. It's growing more and more absurd every day. In recent weeks, we've witnessed a Democrat senator who traveled to a foreign country for a wellness check on a foreign MS-13 gang member and now indicted human smuggler that ended with a photo op and margaritas on the rocks.
▶ 0:25:30The fervor among Democrats who take the side of illegal alien criminals grew so strong that I even had to deny a written request from members of this very committee to go on a taxpayer funded junket to visit with this same MS-13 gang member. Earlier this year, I launched an investigation into the radical pro- illegal immigration policies of sanctuary jurisdictions.
▶ 0:25:53At an oversight committee hearing with some of our country's worst sanctuary city mayors earlier this year, the public was able to clearly see how they care more about illegal aliens than their own citizens. They have pledged not to cooperate with federal law enforcement officials, not even to hand over criminals in their custody who were originally arrested by their own local law enforcement officials for crimes. The absurdity does not stop there.
▶ 0:26:20Several of those local officials pointed the finger to laws and policies that their state governments put in place. I invited these governors here today because as the chief executives of their states, they willfully ignore a federal law, shield illegal aliens, and pass the cost of free services onto their hardworking taxpayers. It's hard to figure out whose side these governors are on. They shield criminals while their own citizens pay the price.
▶ 0:26:46Just a few weeks ago, Minnesota Governor Walt stood at a commencement podium and smeared ICE agents as quote Trump modern-day Gustapo. End quote. Compare comparing brave law enforcement officers who risk their lives to uphold federal law to Nazi thugs is not just wrong, it's it's vile and disgusting. I can only hope this reckless remark was not meant to incite violence. Assaults on ICE officers are already up 400% compared to this time last year.
▶ 0:27:14And we have witnessed repeated attempts at obstruction and assaults against federal law enforcement recently captured on video in California. Governor Oak's sanctuary policies cost taxpayers billions to house, feed, and provide driver's license for 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 Pritzer faces lawsuits for obstructing ICE as he turned cities like Chicago into havens for drugs and crime.
▶ 0:27:46He's yet another governor providing free care, free care to illegal aliens that many of his own citizens lack. These governors handcuff law enforcement from doing their jobs, harbor predators, and call it compassion. It's not compassion, and it's costing lives, hurting Americans, and draining taxpayer money. Congress must consider whether to defund every single penny of federal dollars going to cities and states that prioritize criminal illegal aliens over the American people.
▶ 0:28:16Americans want to return to common The Trump administration and this Republican Congress aims to restore our safety and sovereignty. It's past time for these governors to put America first. I now yield to Ranking Member Lynch for his opening statement. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First of all, I want to thank our witnesses. Uh, Governor Walls, good to see you again. Governor Pritsker, Governor Hokll, good to see you again.
▶ 0:28:42Miss Perryman, thank you for your willingness to come before this committee and help us with our work. 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. At Trump's order, Californians are now forced to navigate an active military zone in their midst as they try to go to work or decide if it's safe to send their kids to school.
▶ 0:29:11And because of Trump, no American city or state is safe as he lays this groundwork to take his militarization playbook nationwide. Two days ago, he confirmed that he is considering invoking the insurrection act to expand the deployment of military active duty military forces against civilians across this country.
▶ 0:29:33Pre preparing for a future in which disscent is met with armed force and 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 operations in their neighborhoods.
▶ 0:30:02President Trump inflamed events on the grounds as an excuse to unleash the US military on its own people, sending in 4,000 National Guard members without the approval of the governor.
▶ 0:30:15They chose Boston because it's a place of intellectual freedom and respect for for for cultural And that trust was was apparently Miss Ostk's a na a Turkish national on a student visa to attend Tus University.
▶ 0:30:37A video of that incident shows Osurk walking along a public street in Boston, Massachusetts, my home city, when several masked figures just snatched her phone and backpack, handcuffed her and and hustled her into an unmarked vehicle. What's that sound like? What does that sound like? The Trump administration is putting extremism, cruelty, and chaos over protecting kids and families.
▶ 0:31:05Trump isn't focused on getting violent criminals off our streets. He's terrorizing our communities to fulfill deportation quotas with fathers and mothers, grandparents, and kids. and he's trying to strongarm our city and state leaders to divert their limited resources away from serious public safety threats to instead focus on peaceful law-abiding families.
▶ 0:31:27Just as he has diverted federal resources away from comat combating drug trafficking, violent crime, and terrorism to fuel his lawless mass deportation campaign. Trump isn't trying to protect us. He's trying to divide us. It's us and them. He's trying to divide us and some people are helping him. He's pitting neighbor against neighbor.
▶ 0:31:53But it's not immigrant kids who are about to kick millions of Americans off their It's not them. And he's doing that to pay for a tax break for billionaires. And it's not immigrants who are using the military to silence Americans exercising their right to speak truth to power. These are not the strong and measured actions of the leader of a free country.
▶ 0:32:16They are the ruthless maneuvers of an aspiring autocrat hellbent 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. And if we don't step up, this will continue.
▶ 0:32:41If we don't step up and declare what is right under our constitution, then other cities, other citizens will meet this same fate. I'm proud of my Democratic colleagues who are willing to stand up to this Trump is a wannabe gangster and he's showing the world what he's about. And I'm proud. You know, my dad served in in Second World War.
▶ 0:33:08He fought the Nazis in northern Africa. He fought the Nazis on the Italian peninsula. And I think he's looking down right now and he's happy that I'm fighting today's Nazis. He's proud of that. We all should be. Mr. Chairman, I yield Without objection. Uh, Representatives Stalber, Finstead, Fishbach, Emmer, Morrison, and Craig of Minnesota.
▶ 0:33:36Representatives Miller, Leah Hood, Davis, and Ramirez of Illinois. Representatives Stefanic, Tenny, Lawler, Goldman, Okasiocortez, Gillan of New York, and Moscowitz of Florida are waved onto the committee for the purpose of questioning the witnesses at today's hearing. Without objection, so ordered. Uh, our witnesses today include the governors of three states. We want to welcome you all here. First, we have Tim Waltz, governor of the state of Minnesota. He was sworn into office on January 7th, 2019.
▶ 0:34:05His second term began on January 2nd, 2023. Governor, welcome back to the House of Representatives. Next, we have JB Pritzer, Governor of the State of Illinois. He was sworn into office on January 14th, 2019. His second term began on January 9th, 2023. I'm going to yield briefly to uh my colleague Raj Christovorte for further Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for yielding.
▶ 0:34:32In in Illinois, we like our pizza deep, our politics lively, and our budgets balanced. The last one used to be a miracle before Governor Pritskar took office. I know firsthand as a son of immigrants who realized the American dream in Illinois that immigrants make enormous contributions to our country. Governor Pritsker understands that, too. His greatgrandfather fled Pilgrims in Ukraine in 1881 and settled in Chicago to build a better life.
▶ 0:35:01That legacy has shaped his lifelong commitment to public service, justice, and opportunity. Before entering public office, Governor Pritsker built a successful business career and became a leading philanthropist, supporting early childhood education, and establishing the Illinois Holocaust Museum. Governor Pritker has delivered historic investments in education, workforce training, infrastructure, technology, and clean energy.
▶ 0:35:31all while expanding paid leave, raising the minimum wage, and defending the rights of all Governor, thank you for your leadership and for joining us today. Yields back. Uh, next we have Kathy Hokll, governor of the state of New York. She was sworn into office on August 24th, 2021. Welcome, Governor. And finally, we have Sky Perryman. She is the president CEO of the Democracy Forward Foundation. Thank you all for joining us. look forward to uh your discussion this afternoon.
▶ 0:36:01Pursuant to committee rule 9G, the witnesses will please rise raise their right hand. Please stand and raise your right hand. 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 that the witnesses answered in the affirmative. Thank you all and you may take a seat. We appreciate you being here today and look forward to your testimony. Let me remind the witnesses that we have read your written statement and they will appear in full in the hearing record.
▶ 0:36:29Please limit your oral statement to five minutes. As a reminder, please press the button on the microphone in front of you so that it's on and the members can hear you. Uh when you're when you begin to speak, the light in front of you will turn green. After four minutes, the light will turn yellow. When the red light comes on, your five minutes have expired. And we would ask that you please wrap up. I now recognize Governor Waltz for his opening statement. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Lynch, and members of the committee, I'm proud to be here today as the governor of the great state of Minnesota.
▶ 0:36:59Wherever you go in this country, people tend to want the same basic things. Safe neighborhoods, affordable household goods, meaningful work, good schools. That's what my administration has worked to ensure for our people, and that's what we've delivered. Under our leadership, Minnesota has been ranked the fourth best state to live in, the second best state to raise a family in, and the third best state for jobs. And 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 US average.
▶ 0:37:31Now, 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've convened this hearing to explore the issue of so-called sanctuary states, Minnesota is not even a sanctuary state. Minnesota legislature has passed no such bill making Minnesota sanctuary state, and I have signed no such law. Minnesota cooperates with federal authorities in a number of ways.
▶ 0:38:01When there's a convicted felon in our prisons, we ask about their immigration status and share that information with Department of Homeland Security. We also cooperate with Homeland Security requests when there's a judicial warrant and when due process has been afforded by our constitution has been served. But 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.
▶ 0:38:29That includes Minnesota and I support them doing so. It's the federal government's job to secure the border. That's why 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 deployed advanced technologies to the border. Most importantly, I recognize that securing our border does not mean we sacrifice our constitutional values.
▶ 0:38:56Unfortunately, the cruel and misguided policies of this current administration fail to live up to those values. Motans are angry with what they've seen happen to their neighbors. They're angry that the federal government has been snatching people up, putting them in prison, and deporting them without a shred of due process. There's been no notice, no meaningful opportunity to object, and according to the president, no way to get out of these overseas prisons once you end up there.
▶ 0:39:25And let's be clear, many of these are law-abiding Americans, people who have been granted asylum or promised protected status. In many cases, it seems these people reported not based on a criminal behavior, but how they looked or what they've said and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Even US citizens like a four-year-old boy with cancer sent to Mexico, away from his father, away from the medical needs, to a country he was not born in or had never been to.
▶ 0:39:53Americans deserve a sensible, humane, and effective immigration policy that reduces illegal immigration while protecting fundamental rights. Meanwhile, the administration continues to make life works for hardworking American Americans in a lot of other ways, trying to slash Medicaid, Social Security, Medicare, making basic household goods more expensive, and telling people they just need to do much with more with less. The American people deserve better. You all have the power to legislate to investigate this administration's abuse and overreach and protect the American people.
▶ 0:40:23And I have to say I'm disappointed. At a crucial inflection point in our nation's history, Congress is choosing to spend its time trying to class cast blames on states like Minnesota that have no hand in creating this crisis. While we may disagree on the best way to maintain border security and public safety, I know we should all be able to agree on a few principles. that everyone in America deserves due process and that we live in a free country where people should not be locked up for exercising their basic constitutional rights.
▶ 0:40:52I hope you'll join me in enforcing accountability to those fundamental ideas and I look forward to your questions. I yield back, Mr. Chairman. I now recognize Governor Pritzer for his opening statement. Mr. Chairman, ranking member, members of the committee, good morning and thank you for inviting me. As governor of the great state of Illinois, I have seen firsthand how states have had to shoulder the consequences of a broken immigration system.
▶ 0:41:22I'm 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 compassionate immigration policies I believe are vital. In fact, my own family owes everything to this country accepting a young refugee named Nicholas Pritsker to its shores over a century ago.
▶ 0:41:50My great-grandfather fled the massacre of Jews in Ukraine and arrived in the United States when he was just 10 without a penny to his name. A social service agency provided him a place to live. A public school taught him English. A public university allowed him to pursue a higher education.
▶ 0:42:08My father and grandfather both were naval officers and raised 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 story is not unique. Today, Illinois is home to 1.9 million immigrants. Just like my great-grandfather, they are hardworking, raising families, and paying taxes.
▶ 0:42:39Our 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 pawns, busting them to states like mine and dropping them off in the dead of night in the freezing cold.
▶ 0:43:09Illinois chose a different path. Faced with a humanitarian crisis, our state made sure children and families did not go hungry or freeze to death. By doing so, we helped to maintain safety and order in Chicago. As governor, one of my responsibilities is to keep the public safe.
▶ 0:43:29That is why I expanded our state police, banned assault weapons and ghost guns to take guns out of the hands of criminals, and invested more than ever before in violence prevention. As a result, violent crime is down in Illinois, and Chicago ended 2024 with its lowest homicide rate in 5 years. As I have consistently said, violent criminals have no place on our streets.
▶ 0:43:54And if they are undocumented, I want them out of Illinois and out of our country. And as we are reminded in Los Angeles this week, we can all agree that violence of any kind, whomever 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 abuses of power. We will not violate court orders.
▶ 0:44:23We 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've had to make the difficult decision to call the Illinois National Guard into service.
▶ 0:44:51I have always done it in partnership with my local governments and law enforcement and with deep and abiding respect for the sacrifice I was asking of our volunteer armed forces. It's 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.
▶ 0:45:17Just as it's wrong to tear children away from their homes and their mothers and fathers who have spent decades living and working in our communities, raising their families. Besides being a father and husband, the greatest honor of my life has been serving as governor. I believe with my whole heart that Illinois is the best place in the country to live, work, and to raise a family. Illinoisans take seriously their responsibility in upholding the most fundamental values of our nation.
▶ 0:45:47Values like kindness, empathy, hard work, and fair play. Our people embody the most American ideal of all. That where your life began matters far less than the dreams you can realize here for yourself and your family. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 0:46:06Chair now recognizes Governor Hokll for her open Chairman Comr, Raiking, Member Lynch, and members of this committee, as we speak, an American city has been over the objections of their governor. At the outset, I just want to say that this is a flagrant abuse of power and nothing short of an assault on our American values.
▶ 0:46:38My 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 and criminal cases.
▶ 0:46:58And our values dictate that we treat all law-abiding people with dignity and 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.
▶ 0:47:19You know, for 400 years, New York has prospered because of the hard work of these people, these newcomers, people like my grandfather who fled great poverty in Ireland. Grandma and Grandpa had the same American dream that the immigrants today have. I see it in their eyes. They're not here for handouts. They're not here to take advantage of the situation. They're here to work. They want to contribute, earn their place, raise their families.
▶ 0:47:50every day there's another story of children being ripped from the arms of their mothers, wives separated from their husbands, families arrested while attending legal immigration Not long ago in a small town known as Sackets Harbor in upstate New York, masked and armed ICE agents stormed into a home before dawn.
▶ 0:48:15They abducted a mother, her three children, including a third grader. They were cast into a living hell in a detention facility in Texas. I merely contacted borders our Tom Hman and demanded their release. In Jefferson County, more than 60% of the residents voted for Donald Trump. And those people protested in the local Republican lawmakers, business owners, school leaders, all spoke out.
▶ 0:48:46Finally, after two long weeks, the family was finally returned home. In New York, we understand the difference between going after criminals and traumatizing law-abiding families. Now, some of you will use this hearing to stoke fear. I'm 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.
▶ 0:49:17Today, New York has the lowest homicide rate among the nation's top 10 states. We didn't achieve this with indiscriminate roundups, not by tearing apart innocent families, but by investing $2.6 6 billion dollar in public safety, engaging in smart, targeted policing and partnering with law enforcement, federal law enforcement to apprehend and deport serious And since I become governor, we've cooperated in handing
▶ 0:49:48over,300 convicted criminals to ICE. But what we don't do is civil immigration enforcement. That's the federal government's job. New Yorkers need their state troopers on our highways seizing guns and drugs. States like mine are doing our part, but we can't be expected to fix the broken immigration system, you know.
▶ 0:50:15And the very people who go on cable news and rail about the border are the same ones who torpedo bipartisan legislation each and every time. So here's my message. If you truly care about public safety, if you truly care about the economy, if you truly care about human dignity, then sit down, negotiate, have real reform, secure the border, revive legal pathways,
▶ 0:50:45and let people work. At the end of the day, I'll go home and do my job keeping New Yorkers safe. I hope that you will do yours. Thank you. And I now recognize the Democrat witness, Miss Perryman, for her opening statement. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and acting ranking member 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, Representative Jerry Connley.
▶ 0:51:15I'm here today as a lawyer and as the president and CEO of Democracy Forward Foundation, which is a national nonpartisan legal organization that is committed to achieving democracy and a nation that enables all people to thrive. At Democracy Forward, we represent people and communities who make up the very fabric of our nation on a proono basis in federal and state courts and regulatory bodies throughout the country.
▶ 0:51:40I know this is a hearing focused on immigration and so I would like to say at the outset and echo the calls for bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform. I will also note that the rhetoric that 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 solutionsoriented.
▶ 0:52:02Fundamentally, Democracy Forward Foundation's work centers on the premise that when the government does its job and delivers for people, our society is stronger. And when our government strays from that purpose, ignoring the Constitution, not achieving and um respecting the fidelity of people's rights, our democracy and our people are in danger. Right now, based on the work that we are doing, I am here to say that our American people are in danger and that our and that our democracy is in crisis. I am looking at these United States flags.
▶ 0:52:33We 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 next year will celebrate 250 years since it threw off the reign the reigns of monarchy. Since inauguration day, the president and his administration have acted beyond the lawful bounds of executive authority. They have usurped the power of this Congress. They have sought to eliminate due process of law.
▶ 0:53:00They have ignored court orders and they are targeting people, civil society organizations and lawyers. These are anti-democratic actions that present an overall threat to every single American and their well-being and to our values in America. That is why at Democracy Forward Foundation, we have had to go to court to file more than 70 legal actions in federal and state courts and agencies and offices since inauguration day to protect the American people's rights.
▶ 0:53:27from stopping the president's federal funding freeze to blocking the decimation of the Department of Education to having to safeguard due process to challenging Doge and Elon Musk's attempts to access personal data on behalf of individual Americans. Our team is in court every single 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.
▶ 0:53:52Our work at Democracy Forward demonstrates that the United States Constitution is still here and it is here for all of us. This administration's tactics with regard to immigration enforcement that we have seen, they shock the conscience. They shock the conscience of the vast majority of the American people, including people who do not see eye to eye on how to fix our immigration problem in this country. They have led us to file and have to file litigation on behalf of religious communities to prevent ICE from entering houses of worship.
▶ 0:54:21We are litigating against policies that prolong the detention of individual immigrant children without their families. And of course, 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 and the United States Department of State.
▶ 0:54:39All told, the courts have ruled against the current administration more than 170 times in less than 200 days because of the fastmoving harms and flagrant violations of the law and of our constitution. And while this is a dire situation, our work demonstrates that 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.
▶ 0:55:08People have talked about their families and last week was June 6th, which is of course the anniversary of when American troops landed on the beaches of Normandy in World War II. I too am the mother of a nine-year-old boy, and that nine-year-old boy's greatgrandfather served in that battle and many others throughout the European theater. But I, as I reflected last week, we don't need to be in Normandy to defend our democracy in June of 2025.
▶ 0:55:37We 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 that our nation made at the end of that war to advance democracy and to ensure that we never turn our backs on people who are fleeing persecution. I so appreciate you inviting me here today to participate in this hearing and it is with a sincere hope that we can come together that I offer my testimony and Right. Opening statements have concluded.
▶ 0:56:07We're now going to begin the the questioning uh portion of today's testimony. And I'm going to begin with Governor Waltz. Governor Waltz, I thought that maybe your your statement referencing ICE as uh Gustapo was a was an outlier statement, but now that Mr. Lynch has endorsed it, it appears that it could be some type of Democrat talking point. Governor, do you and other Democrat politicians understand why referencing ICE as Gestapo is offensive?
▶ 0:56:37I'm going to explain. The Department of Homeland Security is reporting that ICE agents are now experiencing a 413% rise in assaults. We've seen numerous videos of riers obstructing and assaulting federal law enforcement after your remarks, including in Los Angeles. So, Governor, do you think that comments like that and rhetoric like that put ICE officers and other law enforcement in greater danger?
▶ 0:57:06Well, thank you for the question, Mr. Chairman. First and foremost, I any attack on law enforcement is is unacceptable wherever it's at, whether it's uh state, local. So, so you you understand that and I've got limited time here. Uh, I want to highlight for the governors that real word impact of the policies that you all continue to defend even in your opening statements have on American families.
▶ 0:57:32Earlier this year in Governor Pritchard, Illinois, a a previously deported illegal alien who had re-entered the country was allegedly drunk driving near the University of Illinois when he struck a car sitting at a red light and then fled the scene. The crash killed two young women, including Katie Abraham, whose father and stepmother are here today. This is the the her poster. Katie had her whole life ahead of her, cut off in an instant.
▶ 0:57:59Governor Pritchard, this illegal alien should never have been here. Uh he didn't just flee the scene. He fled the state and was apprehended by federal marshalss in Texas using a false name. He now faces criminal charges for reckless homicide, leaving the scene of an accident, resulting in death, and driving under the influence resulting in death. And he faces a federal indictment for having a fraudulent permanent resident card, a fraudulent social security card, and a fraudulent uh use of passport.
▶ 0:58:26Governor Pritchard, do you agree that this illegal alien who killed Katie should never have been in the United States in the first place? Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh first let me express my condolences to the family and those are terrible circumstances. Let me also say that uh anyone who commits a crime in the state of Illino Governor should the should that criminal have been here in the first place?
▶ 0:58:54Did he have a right to be in this country If the person is a criminal of any sort, then they ought to be uh so so that person had a right to be in the United States. They ought to be given uh their due process rights and they ought to be convicted. And the the the criminal who entered this country illegally in in your testimony had a right to be in this country.
▶ 0:59:24No, I'm suggesting to you that when we and I have responsibility for the state of Illinois. I can tell you that it's the responsibility of the federal government to manage immigration in this country. And if you're suggesting that the federal government didn't do its job, that is up to you. Let me ask you this. I can tell you that in the Do you believe that Joe that do you believe that President Biden did his job in securing the border? I I was critical of things that President Biden did. I think I've been very public about that. I wrote a letter to the president telling him that. Okay.
▶ 0:59:53Thank Thank you. Now, back to Governor Waltz. You were obviously selected by Vice President Harris to be a running mate in 2024. I'm curious, did you ever ask uh Vice President Harris about former President Biden's and then President Biden's cognitive decline? No, not that I can recall. Mr. Chairman, you saw President Biden's disastrous debate performance. I I'm just curious.
▶ 1:00:21you never did comment to Vice President Harris like wow, you know, he may not be on the top of his game. Nothing was ever mentioned to Vice President Harris. And the reason I ask obviously is because I'm I know you watch CNN and uh other networks have uh interviewed a lot of people including uh Jean Pierre and and Buddhajig and others that have suggested that they were shielded from from President Biden and and weren't allowed to speak to him
▶ 1:00:51and uh that uh you know his mental decline was was obvious. You you never discussed that with Vice President Harris? No, not that I can recall, Chairman. And um I I as governor and then being on the ticket, I was probably more concerned with my own debate performance than President Biden's. So, no. Did Did uh let me ask you this, Governor. Do you believe that that the Biden Harris administration secured the border?
▶ 1:01:15You mentioned it's the federal government's role to uh secure the border to pro protect uh Americans from illegals entering the country, I guess. Do you do you think they did a good job of that? I think the the border has been broken for a very long time through many administrations.
▶ 1:01:31It's one of the reasons why Vice President Harris was advocating so strongly for the bipartisan bill that did she mention her role as the borders are any when when you all were out campaigning or not that I can recall other than that we talked about the need to pass the bipartisan border legislation that would have done many of the things that as a governor I know would have made our jobs easier. But President Trump secured the border without any legislation. I mean, that was kind of a myth that was in the media and a Democrat talking point that we needed legislation to secure the border.
▶ 1:02:01The border secure, everything's fixed. That's step one. Step two is to deport the criminal illegals and that's where we're facing obstruction in in your all state. So, I'm sure there are a lot more questions that will pertain to that. My time's expired. I now recognize Recommener Lynch for his questions. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It's worth saying again uh that Democrat Democrats oppose uh violence and lawlessness in all its forms.
▶ 1:02:24I I do want to point out that the vast vast majority of protesters have been peaceful, but the most egregious and sweeping displays of the use of force and lawlessness we see in the United States today and the gravest threat to the rights and freedoms of those that we hold dear are the acts of the Trump administration itself.
▶ 1:02:44President Trump has and his administration have crossed the line over and over again from January 6th when this building was attacked at his at his direction uh to invoking the Alien Enemies Act to dismantling USID to ignoring court orders uh to the attacks and threats against law firms that were protecting democracy as as in that mid in in the in the five months that since Trump took office and put the four sales sign over the White House.
▶ 1:03:14He's earned $2.9 billion on his crypto scam. I mean, to call this unprecedented, that word has lost all its meaning. He keeps making history, but the wrong kind. Just the act of sending the National Guard and troops and active duty Marines to to LA was already an overreach.
▶ 1:03:34Uh supposedly now we hear reports that those soldiers and marines were sent to quell protest but now are are detaining civilians and are being trained to perform immigration enforcement uh functions. Miss Perryman, uh what else could go wrong with the National Guard and Marines uh deployed in LA? What are the risks to the Americans who live, work, and exercise their right to freedom and to free speech there?
▶ 1:04:02Well, I I would just say that um what our constitution recognizes and how a good government functions is really based on trust. And when we look at national guards, it is the governors that um often call the national guards in. And so, of course, the fact that we are seeing a situation where the president has um taken this step without cooperating um with uh the governor and with local uh communities there is is deeply concerning.
▶ 1:04:28And of course, we know from history that could lead to escalations and could lead to violence um that that is really problematic for all of our communities across the country, including in Los Angeles. Thank you, Mr. Bman. Uh Secretary of Defense Pete has talked about the the deployment order, and he testified this order, and I'm quoting him.
▶ 1:04:47This this order is getting ahead of a problem so that if in other places if there are other riots in places where law enforcement officers are threatened, we would have the capability to surge the National Guard there if necessary. Mr. Perryman, how does the president's broad order and 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? Well, again, it appears to be an escalation.
▶ 1:05:16And the main thing that's really important to so many Americans across the country as well as local law enforcement in so many areas is that local law enforcement is there to help people be able to peacefully protest. And so there are ways that people in this country can express their views. We don't all agree with each other. And um and right right now, you really see the White House for for whatever reason, I think, escalating um maybe seeking to create some made for TV moments. It's not clear. Um but but I do think that there is a lot at stake here as you've heard this morning.
▶ 1:05:46Thank you. I want to ask each of the governors, this is a general question. Uh how could each of the governors answer briefly how President Trump's uh policies, his assaults on the rule of law and his interjection of military force into into California, how how that would would threaten your states, especially where Secretary H has said that uh he would support that expansion. Uh Mr. Walls, Well, thank you, Ranking Member Lynch.
▶ 1:06:15Well, well, first of all, it's one of the federalism policy of this, especially when it comes to posy comatitis and the insurrection act. Governors are in charge. Our national guard, as all of you know, serve in either title 10 or title 32 status under the role of governor. And on all of these operations, the absolute pinnacle and the most critical piece is is the coordination amongst them.
▶ 1:06:36and as a governor not being notified as local law enforcement, it creates a chaotic situation um that they cannot operate as a joint unit and um governors are always there. We do it for floods, we do it for civil unrest. Um but doing it without causes immense danger, not citizens too, but to those very law enforcement officers who are then put in that chaotic situation.
▶ 1:06:59Thank you, Governor local law enforcement are the ones who indicate to the governor or to their local officials who talk 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 about when I do it. But again, when local law enforcement indicate that they want that backup or they need that support, we do it.
▶ 1:07:23Now, I 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 that they don't need it, that they have things under control, it tends to have an inflaming effect on what's going on on the ground just when local law enforcement and officials are getting things under control. And I think that's what we saw in Los Angeles. Governor Hokll, those actions absolutely undermine the sovereignty of individual states.
▶ 1:07:53States governors are the commanders and chief of the National Guard. They know what to do. As you've heard from my colleagues, we have deployed them in a number of occasions. But undermining confidence in local law enforcement, you're basically saying there's not a belief that the highly trained individuals of our municipal police departments like Los Angeles and the city of New York, for example, can't handle their jobs. I have more confidence in our law enforcement than perhaps the president does.
▶ 1:08:22And we ought to step back and say this is a an overreach of epic proportions. Thank you. Uh chair recogniz Thank you for your courtesy on the time. Appreciate that. Thank you. Chair recognizes Mr. Stefik from New York. Thank you. Governor Hokll, on your first day in office, you signed executive order one. Is that correct? Believe it is. Believe it is. And you extended this exe executive order not once, not twice, but three times. most recently January 16th this year. Is that correct?
▶ 1:08:53If that's what your facts show, I signed countless executive orders. I would assume you'd know it's executive order one. And this is a continuation of your predecessor sanctuary state policies. Correct. Is included in that. I want to be sure we are defining sanctuary state. I'll define it for you. It is the policy of the state that state officers or employees shall not disclose information to federal immigration authorities for the purpose of federal civil immigration enforcement.
▶ 1:09:18It 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 an undocumented alien." That's a quote in your executive orders that you extended. Now, do you know who Sakir Akan is? I want to get back to the first part. No, I'm asking a question. Do you know who Shakir Akan is?
▶ 1:09:49I want to make sure you understand that this simply says that we will cooperate with ICE. No, it does not say that. I read what it says and let me talk to you about the results. Do you know who Sakir Akan is? You should as the governor of New York State. Do you know? Refresh my recollection. He was an illegal migrant in New York. And do you know what crime he committed in addition to being here illegally? No, I do not. You do not. This was widely reported.
▶ 1:10:13He 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 clothes off, and he violently raped her in Alb, New York. Do you know who Sebastian Zapita Khalil is? I'm sure you'll tell me. There's many cases whether they're These are high-profile cases. New Yorkers know about them and you don't. So, let's talk about Sebastian Zapita Khalil. Do you know who that is? I don't have the specific details at my disposal. No.
▶ 1:10:41Well, this is an illegal migrant in New York because of your sanctuary state policies. Do you know what crime he committed? I'm not familiar at this moment. I bet you're going to be familiar when I remind you, he found a sleeping woman on the subway, lit her on fire, and burned her alive. This is in Kathy Hokll's, New York. And as I'm sure you are aware and I'll remind you that ICE issued an order to detain this violent criminal, but that was rejected by New York officials due to sanctuary state laws.
▶ 1:11:11Now, do you know who Raymond Roas Basilio is? I just want to say this. These crimes are horrific. Because of your because of your sanctuary state policies. In all of these cases, we would work with ICE to re You did not in this case. They are walking on the streets because of your policies in your executive order that you signed three times now. Raymond Rojas Basilio, do you know who that is? I'm telling you this. I will explain to you the policies of New York.
▶ 1:11:39We cooperate with I know you're just You do not. Specifically, ICE was told not to detain this individual and he burned a woman alive on the New York subways in Kathy Hokll's, New York. So, I will keep on going. What about Raymond Rojospilio? Do you know who that is? I'm going to tell you our overall policy, which will address all this. I'll tell you who that is. He is an illegal who molested an 11-year-old in our state because again of your sanctuary state policies.
▶ 1:12:08This illegal was shielded from federal immigration enforcement and able to commit this heinous crime. And what about Wilson Castillo Diaz? Do you know who that is? I am telling you this, we do cooperate fully with ICE in criminal prose, our sanctuary. You're not advocating for these victims. This is a 5-year-old who was raped on Long Island in Nassau County. You are not advocating on behalf of these victims. You are shielding illegals.
▶ 1:12:35Even in your opening statement, you prioritize putting illegals first. Rapes of young girls, beatings of NYPD cops by illegals who are here under Kathy Hokll's failed policies, burning New Yorkers alive. This is Kathy Hokll's New York. It's one of many the many reasons why you're hemorrhaging support from hardworking New York. These are horrific crimes and they're heart. They're horrific crimes that are committed on your watch. You signed this executive order on your first day in office.
▶ 1:13:04You signed it again and again this January. We deserve a governor who stands up for law-abiding New Yorkers, doesn't put illegals first, but actually puts New Yorkers first. I appreciate. Rather than going after the viral moment, I suggest you No, no, no. I'm I'm standing up for New Yorkers. Rather than addressing the illegals in New York, you are prioritizing your far-left sanctuary state policies, which you put in place with executive orders. Instead of advocating for victims, a 5-year-old cooperate with us. You did not.
▶ 1:13:34They were released because of sanctuary state policies in New York City. No amount of words is going to clean up your failed record and these horrific crimes committed in sanctuary state that you created. And with that, I representation the facts absolutely false back recognizes Miss Norton from Washington DC. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. U let's be real.
▶ 1:13:59Since the start of the Trump administration, each day has been more nightmarish than the last. But in the past few days and weeks, we have seen a significant escalation of Trump's mass agenda.
▶ 1:14:18On May 29th, a nine-year-old child and his father were reportedly detained in Torrance, California, and separated from one another by ICE. A fourth grader ripped from the only community he knows and from the arms of his father.
▶ 1:14:38We have kids who are afraid to go to school, afraid with that ice 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.
▶ 1:15:01Instead, the Trump administration is deliberately weaponizing them, terrorizing children and families with its immigration policies, and threatening more than 600,000 students, kids with detention and removal. President Trump has called for an end to birthright citizenship, a constitutional right recognized since the end of slavery.
▶ 1:15:28He has cut federal contracts uh that give twoyear-olds representation in immigration court. He has ripped the children who are immigrants and United States citiz citizen from schools, their friends, their neighborhoods and their homes. There is no other way to spend this. President Trump is waging a cruel and deliberate war against children.
▶ 1:15:57Miss Pamman, uh, do all children residing in the United States have a right have a constitutional right to attend public schools regardless of immigration status? They do.
▶ 1:16:11Miss Pamman, how is President Trump going further than past presidents in in in authorizing ICE to carry out enforcement activities in schools, hospitals, and places of worship? Yes. I mean, this is what brought us to court on behalf of the Baptists and the Quakers and the SE communities and other religious communities that are having to challenge this.
▶ 1:16:38Um for more than 30 years the uh country had a policy that prevented indiscriminate enforcement activities at what we call sensitive locations. That includes houses of worship um and it includes schools. Uh we saw in the early days of this administration the Department of Homeland Security rescend that policy and um and endanger uh people all people not just immigrants but people who are seeking to engage in communal worship, people who are seeking to go to school um and and to be present
▶ 1:17:09in other sensitive locations like Uh, Governor Waltz, uh, what does it mean for children in Minnesota if ICE comes to their Well, thank you, Congresswoman. Minnesota prioritizes education. We're proud of our education system. We're proud that when students come to school, they get a good meal. Um, they have a well-qualified teachers, and it's a place where it's safe. It's a safe place where they can learn.
▶ 1:17:39We prioritize it because our economy depends upon it and it's the right thing to do. Disruptions at places like school when ICE is free to operate in Minnesota within the laws but to disrupt schools to disrupt and come to those schools uh not only uh the impact to that individual student but to the entire learning environment in those schools are disrupted by it. And again, we agree with everyone here.
▶ 1:18:04Those committing crimes is where we need to focus, but being on campuses in elementary schools is not getting at Uh, thank you, Governor Pritsler. Uh, when ICE detains and arrests parents uh, a a drop off kids at school, how does this affect educational outcomes? Thank you very much, Congresswoman.
▶ 1:18:30Let me begin by saying that as you may know under President Trump, ICE showed up in Chicago nearly immediately and began terrorizing our neighborhoods, our schools and parents. Indeed, many parents had to felt like they needed to go into hiding even though their children needed to go to school every day.
▶ 1:18:51And so disrupting that environment, frankly, not just for the children, but for the parents and for teachers and the entire school community, it is something that, you know, we believe in Illinois in educating all of our kids, making sure that they get what they need in our public schools. In fact, we've invested significantly in making sure the results have been very good. Eighth graders in Illinois rank second in reading in the entire country. Eighth graders in Illinois rank fifth in the country in mathematics.
▶ 1:19:22And it's because we have a safe environment. But not when Tom Hman brings Dr. Phil with the overreach of force with ICE to disrupt our education system and particularly our elementary schools. Thank Thank you. Gentle lady's time's expired. Chair recognizes uh the majority whip. Mr. Emmer from Minnesota. Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Welcome back to Washington, Governor. Uh, I'm going to run through a series of facts before I get to my questions. So, let's get started.
▶ 1:19:53Governor Walls, you signed the Health and Human Services omnibus bill into law in May of 2023. That bill expanded Minnesota Care to provide free health care to illegal aliens. You signed the Higher Education Omnibus Bill into law in May of 2023. That bill allows illegals to have their college tuition paid for by the state. You signed the Driver's License for All Act into law in March of 2023, and that bill allows illegals to receive driver's licenses.
▶ 1:20:21So, you claim you're not a sanctuary state. You just provide free health care, free college, and driver's licenses to illegal aliens. One reason you're here testifying before us today is because you refuse to cooperate with ICE. While states like Florida and Virginia empower their law enforcement to detain and remove criminal illegal aliens, you sir have done just the opposite. Your attorney general is directing law enforcement to ignore ICE immigration detainers. Do you agree with the attorney general's guidance?
▶ 1:20:53Well, Congressman, it's good to see you again and thank you for being here. First, I would say is my job as governor of Minnesota is to make Minnesota the best state in the nation. Do you agree with the attorney general's guidance? Congressman, what I would say on this is is that Minnesota follows all law. I would It's a very easy question. And again, I if you're not if you claim you're not a sanctuary state, uh you just I guess you just claim that you support policies you're not a sanctuary state, but you support policies that prevent ICE from doing their job.
▶ 1:21:23Congressman, isn't that right? That is incorrect, Congressman. We follow the same laws when you were in the Minnesota House. The law has not changed. If you'll allow me, I've got limited time. Well, that's what you tweeted, by the way, sir. And on May 23rd, 2018, you tweeted, quote, "I support policies that keep law enforcement from enforcing federal laws." Close quote.
▶ 1:21:43On May 17th, just this spring at the University of Minnesota Law School's commencement ceremony, you said, quote, "Donald Trump's modern-day Gestapo is scooping folks up off the streets." When you said the words modern-day Gestapo, you were referring to ICE agents. Gustapo, by the way, sir, was the official secret police of Hitler's Nazi Germany. So, you're calling ICE agents modern-day Nazis.
▶ 1:22:07Given the attacks on ICE agents that took place in Los Angeles over the weekend, don't you regard your dangerous inflammatory rhetoric as a problem? The questions do you want me to answer first? So sir, it saddens me that you refuse to express regret from comparing ICE to Nazis. ICE agents are brave Americans who get up every morning, leave their families, and put their lives in harm's way to protect our country.
▶ 1:22:37Sir, you at the very least owe an apology to these dedicated public servants. I will say, sir, inflammatory rhetoric such as yours and the other other governors on this panel is responsible for putting a target on the back of every ICE 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.
▶ 1:23:03In May 2020, looting, acts of violence, and arson occurred on your watch in Minneapolis after you refused to bring in the National Guard. Governor, your agenda is clear. Free health care, free college and driver's licenses for illegals while handcuffing law enforcement when they're trying to protect our citizens and their communities. If you think that's not a sanctuary state, you shouldn't be governor.
▶ 1:23:28By turning Minnesota into a magnet for illegals, you have opened up our communities to dangerous criminals, including known terrorists, gang members, murderers, and child predators. You have sent a resounding message that if you're a hardworking, law-abiding citizen of Minnesota, your safety and well-being are not the priorities of Tim Walls and his administration. But if you're coming to our state illegally, you're not only welcome with open arms, you're entitled to free stuff on a taxpayers's dime.
▶ 1:23:57This is absolutely disgraceful. Governor Walls, your sanctuary state agenda has been defined by your utter failure. You have failed to enforce the rule of law. You have failed to uphold our national sovereignty. And most importantly, you have failed the people of Minnesota. The time for radical sanctuary state policy, 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?
▶ 1:24:28Governor, the time for real leaders is is uh and real leadership is now. Okay. And with that, sir, actually, uh, Mr. I ask unanimous consent to induce introduce into the record the governor's tweet that I referenced from May 23rd, 2018, which makes it clear his hatred for federal law enforcement. Thank you. Without objection, so ordered. Mr. Chairman, yes. Chair recognizes Mr. Infume. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much.
▶ 1:24:56I have a unanimous consent request, and I'd like to uh present both of those to you at the same time. Say, okay. Um, I ask unanimous consent that we enter into the record an article from the Hill of uh the 8th day of June. Latinos for Trump co-founder blast inhumane immigration arrest without objection to order. Thank you, sir. And the second one is from the Independent of uh May the 28th.
▶ 1:25:23Trump ordered a ill four-year-old Mexican girl to leave the country. Experts say she could die in days. I ask, you know, I'm concerned. Without objection, so ordered. Thank you, sir. Chair recogniz Mr. Christo Morte from Illinois. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Governor Pritsker, when it comes to immigration, you've been clear that Illinois follows the law. I'd like to go into this issue just a little further. First, there's been a lot of misinformation about the Illinois Trust Act.
▶ 1:25:51Uh, as you know, this is the 2017 law signed by then Republican Governor Bruce Rer, which requires state agencies to cooperate with ICE when it presents a criminal arrest warrant uh for an individual. Correct, Congressman? Yes, that's correct. And just to be clear, the Illinois State Police, the Department of Corrections, and other Illinois agencies must cooperate with ICE when they present a criminal arrest warrant. Correct.
▶ 1:26:21And 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 ICE's recent raids in California, including at a Home Depot in the LA area organized because the administration was falling way short of its cruel goal of deporting thousands of thousands of people per day.
▶ 1:26:50Politico said this is quote the standoff that Trump wanted. There's another reason why Trump has provoked the current situation in California. He doesn't want to talk about what he calls the big beautiful bill and what I call the large lousy law. So, let's talk about what Trump doesn't want to discuss.
▶ 1:27:11What Trump doesn't want to discuss is that his large lousy law cuts $625 billion in Medicaid, a program that ensures millions of Americans. Governor Waltz, in a press release on Medicaid cuts, you said, quote, "The victims of these cuts will be families, children's vet, veterans, rural Americans, and pregnant moms." That's what you said, right? That's correct, Congressman.
▶ 1:27:36And Governor Hokll, in a recent op-ed, you wrote, "Even if you don't rely on Medicaid, these cuts affect you because when millions lose coverage, hospitals and other vital health care institutions lose funding." And that strains the entire system. That's what you wrote, right? That is correct, sir. Governor Pritsker, cuts in the large lousy law are going to leave upwards of 700,000 Illinoans without health insurance. Isn't that correct? Yes.
▶ 1:28:05People will Trump's large lousy law adds trillions to the national debt as well, which could force 500 billion dollars in automatic cuts to Medicare in addition to the cuts in Medicaid that we just referred to. And of course, Medicare is a program that every senior relies on. Let me turn to my final topic.
▶ 1:28:28Governor Pritsker, President Trump has called Illinois, quote, a poorlyrun state. But the truth, of course, is the opposite, Governor. Illinois has had seven consecutive balanced budgets. Right. That's correct, Congressman. And our credit rating has been raised nine times in the last six years. Correct. After 21 downgrades under Republican and others. And it now stands at an A rating. Right. It does.
▶ 1:28:58In contrast, under President Trump, every credit agency has downgraded America's credit rating below the top level. The first time in history that's happened. Isn't that right? That's correct. Trump and others claim the federal government props up Illinois. But in reality, we're one of 13 states in the country that actually give more tax revenue to Washington DC than we receive in return. Now, let me turn to some of the reasons why Illinois is a donor state and not a taker state.
▶ 1:29:28Illinois has a $1.1 trillion economy. We produce the most soybeans in America and we're the number two producer of corn. Right. That is correct. We're the number two manufacturing state in the country. We are and and we're the number two destination for corporate expansions and relocations. Right. And Chicago is number one. Thanks to you, we have the world's first quantum and micro electronics park. Correct. That's right.
▶ 1:29:55And we're ranked top in the Midwest for workforce development. Correct. Yes, we are. And startups. That's right. Illinois is the heart and soul of America. governor. It's where the cell phone was invented, was home to the first McDonald's, and was the home of amazing leaders, Lincoln, Reagan, Obama, Grant, even Superman. And yes, the Pope. And here's a picture of the Pope wearing a Chicago White Socks cap.
▶ 1:30:26The next Pope's going to be a Cubs fan. There you go. Illinois has terrific jobs, people, and pizza. Some may even say that God is on our side. Governor, I'm proud to be from Poria. I always stand up for Illinois loud and proud. I yield back. Chair now recognizes Mr. Jordan from Ohio. Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. Governor Hokll, third paragraph, second sentence. In your written testimony, you said New York State cooperates with US immigration customs enforcement in criminal cases.
▶ 1:30:56Governor, who's Jesus Romero Hernandez? Thank you. I want to reaffirm that we do cooperate in cases where that wasn't a question. I just read your statement. I can read your statement. Who is Jesus Romero Hernandez? I don't have the details on every single person in a state of 20 million people. Understand? But this guy's been citizen of Mexico, deported seven times, came to your state, assaulted one of your residents with a machete, choked a police officer, then when he was in custody, assaulted a corrections officer.
▶ 1:31:26ICE finds out this guy is in your state's custody and they send you a detainer. You're familiar with a detainer, right? Yes, I am. Notice of uh notice of action immigration detainer uh from to Tomkins County Jail from Syracuse Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. Section one, they check a couple boxes. The first one they check is a final order of removal against the alien has taken place. That means a court has said this guy needs to go.
▶ 1:31:52this machete wielding, cop choking, corrections officer assaulting guy needs to go. Then they also check another box and they say biometric confirmation of who this individual is, this alien's identity. So they got the right guy and a court has said he needs to go. Any idea what Tomkins County Jail decided to do with that detainer order? I will tell you this. The state of It was a specific question. What did Tomkins County do?
▶ 1:32:21Those The descriptions you have put forth are absolutely chilling and disturbing and reprehensible to all of us. My job is to protect why I'm asking the question. What did Tomkins County do? What I have responsibility will tell you since you're not going to answer. We cannot and will not hold Mr. Hernandez. We can't keep the machete guy who would choke the police officer and the solid corrections officer. We can't keep him.
▶ 1:32:46In fact, we have the back and forth from Tomkins County and ICE on January 28th of this year. 8:56 p.m. Tomkins County tells ICE, "We're not going to hold this guy." 7 minutes later, ICE responds back, "We will be there to take custody this evening." 24 minutes later, Thompson County reiterates, "We're not going to have him.
▶ 1:33:10We're not going to turn him over." ICE arrives at the jail 1 hour and 18 minutes later. And guess what? Mr. Hernandez is not there. They couldn't wait 1 hour and 18 minutes for a guy who assaulted one of your residents with a machete, choked a police officer, and then when in custody assaulted corrections officers. That is sanctuary policy in a nutshell. And that is what your state supports and so do these other governors. That is what is so wrong. Why the American people hate this concept.
▶ 1:33:41You're conflating what the state of New York does is I control state police and prisons. We have turned over 1300 people. So you disagree with it. We turn over 13 Paul. Those are local policies that we would not have done in the state of New York. State of New York. That is a local. I would say this. If it happened in a state prison, we have already turned over 1300 people. Sheriff in Tomkins County. I'm a Republican governor. There have been times, excuse me, is shar Thompson County a Democrat or Republican.
▶ 1:34:12Excuse me. There have been times I ask the questions, you give the answer. Is he a Democrat or Republican? You know, I'm asking for this moment to explain that I'm sometimes waiting for Isan and do you agree with the action? Do you agree with the actions he took? How about that question? They are in conflict with the what the state of New York would do. Well, maybe they're scared. By the way, he is a Democrat. Democrat sheriff. Maybe the county guys are a little scared because you said this. I'm quoting from it looks like the New York Times.
▶ 1:34:42We all know you can trust them. This is just this is this is last month, May 25th. You said we have some counties that are renegade counties and work with ICE. Maybe they're nervous of being called a renegade county by their governor. So the Democrat sheriff says, "We're not going to keep the machete wielding, cop choking, corrections officer assaulting guy. We're not going to keep him here for you to get here. We can't even wait an hour and 18 minutes. Oh, you know what else was interesting in this case? You know what else was interesting?
▶ 1:35:10There was actually an arrest warrant from United States District Court, Northern District of New York, signed by Judge Wy Danks, Mag from Syracuse. There was an arrest warrant and they still couldn't keep me. The state of New York cooperates. We cooperate in removal of individuals who've served time. We responded detention. You're you're confusing and maybe there's a lesson in Okay. Will you say on the record right here, I got 12 seconds.
▶ 1:35:35Will you say on the record was Thompson Tommpkins County wrong in the actions they took on January 25th, 2025 when they wouldn't hold the guy for 1 hour and 18 minutes? Was Those are not the policies that we would have in the state of New York. Those are not the policies we would have in 18. Were they wrong? They've turned that guy over to ice. It's a simple question, Governor. That was a horrible situation. The person should not have been out there. And I'm it's a horrible situation, but it's a yes or no question. It is a response that this is a locality.
▶ 1:36:05You agree or disagree? In the state of New York, the person should have been held or the person should have been held. And in the state of New York, we would have turned him over. That is in conflict with what we would do as a state with respect to prison. And I want to know why ICE won't come and pick up the individuals who have served time in our state. I have cases where they have not even sh Governor, a court order and a detainer for a guy who did the things Mr. Hernandez did and Tomkins County can't hold him an hour and 18 minutes. And you won't say that's wrong.
▶ 1:36:32I have said we cooperate when there's a criminal case where someone has committed a crime. This is sanctuary policy in a nutshell. You won't even condemn something anyone with common sense knows is ridiculous. You're I had the facts here. Oh, can I do one other thing, Mr. Chairman? Now he's been rearrested. And guess what? this guy who's now been rearrested. There is imminent danger that this inmate will do injury to himself and to others and presents a safety a threat to safety, security, and good order of the facility.
▶ 1:37:02So, he's not permitted to leave his cell. So, this guy is not even allowed out of his cell, but they let him out on the street a few months ago. That's how ridiculous this is. When he does leave his cell and we go back to his country under our orders, chair recognizes Mr. Infume. And I'll give you an extra minute. Oh, there you go. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I've got uh two unanimous consent requests that I hope would not count against my time. Okay, we won't. Okay, clock stop.
▶ 1:37:27I ask unanimous uh consent to submit for the record an article from Forbes magazine entitled Trump team focuses deportations on immigration numbers, not on criminals. Without objection to ordered. and an article from the Rolling Stone from the uh 6th of last month entitled Trump has now deported multiple US citizen children with cancer without objection to order. That's a good diversity of uh sources. The it is rolling and rolling. I like that.
▶ 1:37:57All right, you're proceed. Thank you very Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Um a couple things on the record and then some observations. I don't know that I necessarily have any questions, but I do have some observations and uh a statement. And I think before we let this get out of control, everybody on this side of the aisle is against violence of all forms. Everybody on this side of the aisle finds that to be unacceptable.
▶ 1:38:22We believe that convicted criminals who are incidentally illegally here and have been convicted should have no safe harbor. And we believe that victims of criminals should have our collective prayers and empathy. So this is not about Democrats not having a a balance or about Democrats supporting something that is not right. The other thing that I want to say is that u I find something eerily chilling about what's going on here.
▶ 1:38:50And what's chilling about it is that if I take myself out of 2025 and roll myself back in time, some of the hatred that I see displayed under the guise of good government just scares the hell out of me. We're not that far away from situations that existed where things like this affected other groups. And I'm not talking about anybody that's a convicted illegal criminal.
▶ 1:39:16I'm talking about innocent Americans who live in our neighborhoods, who do the work that we won't do, who abide by the laws, who play by the rules, who love their new country, and who cherish their faith.
▶ 1:39:30Because if we just roll this clock on the wall back 75 years, we'd be looking at a time in Nazi Germany where people ran around with signs like this new ICE sign that says, "Report all foreign invaders to ICE." With Uncle Sam there holding up the sign. This could have been a Gustapo member 75 years ago. Report all Jews.
▶ 1:39:54a hundred years before that it could be a plantation owner that said report all negroes and all colorards and all those who are from Africa because they are disrupting our country. So let's not get it twisted here. We in this country are not pure and pristine. We had runaway slave laws to get the people who ran away from slavery.
▶ 1:40:16We had 50 years of black codes where you got fines and you got rewards and you got all sorts of things if you did or did not do something to report black people. After 150 years of slavery and a 100red years of segregation and a 100red years of Jim Crow after that you could be arrested for anything in this country not that long ago.
▶ 1:40:42I remembered when the National Guard was deployed in 1968 and I walked out of my house facing fixed bayonets with men in uniform, not knowing what the hell they were there for, but obeying the chief executive officer of this country. And I know what it's like to face a bayonet and to face a national guardsman. And I've seen the tension that it brought about and how that group of of demonstrations across this country continued to go for days and days and days.
▶ 1:41:11And so don't give me something about, oh, there's something about these people because they're immigrants. No, there's something about them because they're people. And like all groups, they've got bad people in them. I could have been arrested 75 years ago for walking into a restaurant, for drinking out of a water fountain, for being accused of looking at a white woman like EMTT Till did in 1955, and he was burned and lynched in this country.
▶ 1:41:41When future generations peer through the telescope of time, I hope that they look at us and realize that there are some who chose not to sherk their responsibility, not to run away from the reality and to face it head on. You know, not too long ago, I went to visit a proud lady who this year will celebrate her 149th And she stands today even as we sit in this hour.
▶ 1:42:11In her left hand is a great torch. And in her right hand, guess what? She clings the Declaration of Independence close to her breast. And on her head is a crown of spikes. And on her feet, broken shackles symbolizing freedom from tyranny. The tyranny that so many immigrants faced before coming to this country.
▶ 1:42:34And as that plane flew over, I could still hear her cry out through silent concrete lips, saying, "Send me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses who yearn to breathe free, the wretched refugees of your teeming shore." She says, "Send those, the homeless tempest toss to me.
▶ 1:42:55For I left my lamp beside the golden door that all of you and all of you and all of you might follow." And so we came, some took the securityist route, some came for a thrill, and some of us came against our will. But we came and became what we are today as a nation. And we must never lose sight of the things that make us great or the things that take away from our greatness. Mr. Chairman, I yield back. Thank you, Chair.
▶ 1:43:25Now recognizes Mr. Gil from Texas. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Governor Pritsker, do you know how much illegal immigration costs your state each year? No, sir, I do not. Costs over $780 per family per year. That's a lot of money, isn't it? Yes, it is. And I may I ask, what do you mean by the That is a lot of money for the cost of illegal immigration. Let me ask you, do do you know who Franklin Jose P Ramos is?
▶ 1:43:54Are you talking about the the federal government's cost to the state of Illinois? Jose Ramos says immigration policy. It's a yes or no question. I'll take that as a no. Do you know who Jose Martinez wrangle is? No, sir. I do not. You don't. You should. Those are two men who came into this country illegally raped and murdered 12-year-old Joselyn Nungury in my home state of Texas.
▶ 1:44:20Do you think that elected officials should have welcomed them into our Sir, I question before they committed a crime. I I'm not sure what you're asking. Do you think that they should have been welcomed into our communities? It's a very straightforward question. Someone who commits murder. No.
▶ 1:44:37Someone who commits murder should be Why did you state during Biden's border crisis that illegal aliens quote should have been welcomed and helped by elected When you say illegal aliens, I'm asking these are people who are being welcomed helped into our communities. People who are easy yes or no question. what you're characterizing mischaracterizing them. It is it is your position that they should have been welcomed into our communities. Is that correct?
▶ 1:45:01They were asylum here legally and then they went on and murdered and raped 12-year-old Jocelyn. Someone who commits murder should be held accountable. We do that in the state. And you think they should have been welcomed into our communities before they did. I don't know how you can tell before somebody commits a crime that they are secure the border and not let illegal aliens come into our communities. Do you support abolishing eyes asylum seekers? Do you support abolishing ICE? No. I believe we need an immigration force in the United States.
▶ 1:45:30In fact, you believe a budget is a moral document. Is that correct? I do. You do. You you you tweeted that you gave your administration gave $12,000 to the Organized Communities Against Deportations, which just this past month was marching in the streets of Chicago with signs saying abolish ICE. Do you support this? Is this a reflection of your moral values? Is this a reflection of your moral values? I do not support abolishing an immigration force.
▶ 1:46:00That That's good to hear. Uh m uh Mr. Governor, do you think the biological men should be able to use women's restrooms? I'm not sure how this has to do with immigration. It's just a yes or no question. Why are you very men should be using doing factf finding? I'm sorry. Do you think men should be allowed in women's restrooms? I'm not sure why this this has come to this issue tweeted that as a protest against President Trump, everyone should use the other gender's bathroom today.
▶ 1:46:29Have you ever used the women's restroom? Uh, not that I can recall ever, sir. You wanted everybody else to do it, but you Sir, I I'm not sure why we're on a topic that has I'm asking you're you're advocating for men to use women's restrooms, but you didn't do it. I I do not advocate that. No, you well actually you did. You said everyone should use the other gender's bathroom today.
▶ 1:46:53I can tell you that you are criticizing this in a way that what we ought to be focusing on is encouraging men to use women's restrooms and the Congress to deal with immigration reform. Do you do you regret encouraging men to use women's restrooms? Again, you're taking us on topics that have Did you ever consider that women don't want you invited here for? So, you're admitting that this is just a political circus.
▶ 1:47:15No, I'm I'm asking you because you put this on on radio for everybody and really about your grand I'm asking you have you ever considered that women don't want you in their bathrooms that that's a private space that they they don't want you or any other man in Congressman let's talk about you can't say that normal people you want to take medic's rest and very question you apparently want people and you're encouraging men to use women's restaurants where there could be underage girls do you think that's appropriate,
▶ 1:47:46sir? If we're going to do normal, let's talk about what you're doing to people in normal by virtue of your votes. All right, let's move on. Let's ask President Trump. Uh, do you support uh Hamas's agenda? Sir, I do not. They are a terrorist organization. your uh your uh gave a grant to the Muslim Civic Coalition which just two weeks after October 7th was marching in the streets of Chicago to quote stop the USbacked genocide against Gaza. Is that a reflection of your values?
▶ 1:48:16I have spent my life fighting anti-semitism. No, I'm asking is this a reflection of your values? I'm not sure why you're attacking because your administration gave money to this this organization. I I can I'm explaining to you that what we do in the state of Illinois is stand up for what we believe are you didn't have to give money this to the Muslim civic the right to express themselves to stop the US backed genocide against Gaza that was your choice
▶ 1:48:46want to take away people's right to free speech we don't in the state of Illinois and I they've got the right to free they don't have the right to tax dollars and you gave them to them you want to take those rights away from people I understand gentlemen Time's expired. Chair recognize Miss Brown from Ohio. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Trump administration isn't serious about public safety safety. It's not serious about solving immigration challenges.
▶ 1:49:10It's only serious about blatantly violating constitutional rights, stoking fear, and demonizing immigrants for political gain. That's why Trump is weaponizing ICE to recklessly and lawlessly target immigrant communities. And here's the reality. Two weeks ago, I met with community leaders from across my district. Multiple Hispanic faith leaders told me the same thing. Their congregants, regardless of immigration status, are afraid.
▶ 1:49:40Afraid to speak Spanish in public, afraid to attend community events, afraid to go to church because ICE under this administration has shown it will harass, detain, and deport even wrongfully. No due process, no oversight, no transparency. And now we're seeing this fear weaponized at scale.
▶ 1:50:03Just this week, the president deployed 4,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles without the consent or consultation of California's So, let's be clear. This isn't about border security. This is not about law and order. What it is really about is a reckless power grab. Militarizing American cities doesn't make anyone safer.
▶ 1:50:32It escalates and puts everyone at risk. So, Governor Pritsker, as commander-in-chief of your National Guard, how concerned are you about this executive overreach? Thank you very much, Congresswoman, and thank you for the remarks that you just made. Our job as governors is to concern ourselves with the public safety of our states.
▶ 1:50:55And indeed, uh, one of the very important things that we do is listen to our local law enforcement and listen to the local officials who ask us for help when they need it. We have a probably in my view, forgive me, governors, we have the best state police in the entire country and we have terrific 13,000 person national guard.
▶ 1:51:14um we go to our state police for support and then if necessary we will ask the National Guard to step in and again only when local law enforcement and our local officials ask us for that help when the president of the United States goes in over the top to grab our national guard for domestic security for domestic when there is not as he said in a memo falsely a rebellion that that is taking away the rights and obligations of a
▶ 1:51:45governor and it ought to be done in consultation with governors. In fact, the more local you get, the more accurate I believe the information is about what's happening on the ground. That's why I speak with local leaders of law enforcement, CPD in Chicago or others before we take any action with National Guard. The president of the United States fails. Fails. Why? Because he wants mayhem in the streets. Why did he call in Marines? And and and that's that's the point.
▶ 1:52:15This administration says it's targeting violent criminals, but that's not what's happening. They're going after parents dropping off their kids, workers showing up to their jobs, and asylum seekers navigating the legal system. And let me say this plainly. If you commit a violent crime in this country, you should be prosecuted. If you came here to do harm, this country is not your home. Governor Prrisker, can you set the record straight with which direction is violent crime headed in your state? Up or down? Down significantly. Thank you.
▶ 1:52:42And Governor Prrisker, across the country, undocumented im immigrants are less likely less likely less likely to commit violent crimes than US citizens. Does that hold true in your state? Immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than people who already live there. Now, that may come as a surprise to some tuning in today, especially those fed a steady diet of fear. A recent poll found that Fox News viewers are twice as likely to believe the false claim that immigrants commit more crime. It's not true. It's not true.
▶ 1:53:12It's not true. So, let's stop with the scapegoating and start focusing on real solutions. So, quick yes or nos. Governor Prriskuit, did Trump's pardon of the January 6 defendants who violently attacked police officers make Illinois safer? It did not. Does blocking common sense gun laws like universal background checks make your state safer? Absolutely not. Did doge cuts to community violence prevention funding make your state safer?
▶ 1:53:40Much less safe with cutting Medicaid to pay for tax breaks for the wealthy make your state safer? No. Cutting SNAP benefits? No. Okay. So, this is what we are dealing with with this current administration. Things that are not making our country any safer and are doing harm to the people who need it the most. And with that, Mr. Chairman, gentle lady yields back. Chair, I recognize Mr. Donald's from Florida. Uh, thank you, Chairman.
▶ 1:54:06To piggy back off my colleague, Governor Pritsker, how much does the state of Illinois spend on illegal immigration every year? Again, illegal immigration, that's a federal responsibility. They could tell how much is wasted as a result of their failures. Governor, don't you keep track of how many people are on your Medicaid roles, how many people who are illegal immigrants in the state of Illinois who are getting actually benefits in your state? Doesn't your government keep track of that? They don't get Medicaid in Illinois or any state as far as I know.
▶ 1:54:34Governor Pritsker, you do not keep keep track of any public service dollars in the state of Illinois that goes to illegal immigrants or goes to people in your state who are not legal residents of the United States and of the state of Illinois. You don't keep track of that. We absolutely keep track of our budget. We're very closely and in fact it's been balanced for seven years in a row unlike the Republican before me. Yeah. You know, it's interesting. I noticed that in the state in the state of Illinois, you guys don't really keep track of your money because I asked asked uh uh your mayor in Chicago similar question about a month ago and he didn't have an answer.
▶ 1:55:05It was quite interesting. I think this might be an Illinois problem. Um Governor Hokll, in your state, you are spending about roughly $4 billion on illegal immigration and at the same time you are actually asking the federal government for $4 billion to finish Penn Station. Don't you think it would be better to stop funding illegal immigrants in your state and actually use those resources to finish Penn Station as opposed to coming to the federal government for the money? Penn Station is owned by Amtrak, not by the state.
▶ 1:55:34So, it's an appropriate use of their dollars and Donald Trump has agreed to spend upwards of $7 billion. I appreciated that very much. what we spend on immigrants. The immigrants who are here hardworking to live a life and working on our farms and taking care of our parents in nursing homes and taking care of our children. They have been coming here for 400 years and we don't keep track of individuals based on their status.
▶ 1:56:00We make sure that people have services so we don't end up with an uh So essentially what you're telling me is that you keep no track of money that is going to people who are not legal in the United States. resources that are taken away from New Yorkers, resources that are taken away from Illinoisans. You guys do not keep track of any of this. You know what's really challenging is that many people came here with legal status. I mean, temporary protective status, 300,000, all of a sudden they wake up.
▶ 1:56:26Do you go along with the strategy from the Biden administration which massively expanded immigration protocols that overwhelmed your city and overwhelmed your state? Do you agree with that? We call for secure borders. We call for this body. I never remember you calling for secure borders at all, Governor Hob. That doesn't sound like him to my memory. Many conversations I had with the White House and we asked for federal resources. I mean, you're putting a federal problem on our blaps. And you know what? It gets old after a while. I wish you would just do your job.
▶ 1:56:54If your party actually would do the job of securing the n securing the nation the way President Trump has now had to do twice, um, we wouldn't be in this predicament. Wouldn't you agree? You're it's Do you agree or disagree that securing the nation's borders is the job of the president of the United States? President Trump has done that job twice now. Well, and previous Democrat presidents have not done that job. Wouldn't you agree with that? This has been a pro problem that's been in play since I was a young staffer here on Capitol Hill.
▶ 1:57:21We worked on immigration and Ronald Reagan signed amnesty for three million people. You know, it's interesting you bring up Reagan's amnesty in ' 86. You know, part of that deal was to actually build border wall and secure it, but the Democrat party refuses to build border wall. you oppose it every single time. Is that your position? Do you now support border walls? There has been many times when bipartisan legislation is presented to this body and people just walk away from it. They refuse to do the hard work of governing like governors like us have to do every single day. When I leave here, I'm going to go home and govern a state.
▶ 1:57:51I'm not going to tweet about this experience because I have too much work to do taking care of New Yorkers in You're really not doing a good job, Governor Hokll, because a lot of New Yorkers are actually coming into my state in Florida. Many of them, they come all the time because they actually want to come to a state that is wellrun, that protects citizens, does not allow illegal aliens to victimize citizens like they are victimized in the state of New York, like they are victimized in the state of Illinois, like they are victimized in the state of Minnesota. They choose states like Florida and Texas to find safer places to live and raise their families. Hold on, Governor Holmes.
▶ 1:58:22We've had enough time. Governor Walt, you've been sitting over there pretty quiet. I got a question for you. I I would love to talk. Thank you, Congressman. Fair enough. You said earlier that the ICE agents under under the orders of President Trump are a modern-day Gustapo. Do you realize how disgusting a phrase that is considering the history of Nazi Germany? Would you like to recant that statement? What I said, Congressman, and I have a long history of supporting law enforcement.
▶ 1:58:47And I said, "President Trump was using them as his modern-day Gustapo, not identifying who you are, coming up in unmarked vans, taking people away, and giving Is it the responsibility of ICE to actually deport illegal aliens in the United States who are here? Isn't that their Yes, it is, Congressman. Except that the the Constitution is not an inconvenience. It's not an either or. Nobody said an inconvenience. They have a responsibility to deport illegal aliens. And the president is going through that process right now.
▶ 1:59:17And let's be very clear, the previous administration, they abused every process there is under border laws to allow more than 10 million people into the country illegally. And this is a burden on all Americans. And so the president is doing his job. So it is sick to refer to Americans who are ICE agents as Gustapo. Governor, you're wrong. You need to apologize to these agents. They're doing their jobs. They are Americans. They serve this country with honor and decency and respect.
▶ 1:59:46Do not diminish their work simply because you tried to make a cheap point that you could tweet. I yel back. Chair now recognizes Miss Stanbury from New Mexico. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Well, some interesting theatrics today. Welcome everyone to the Oversight reality TV show. I know Mr. Trump loves himself some good TV and today is not disappointing.
▶ 2:00:12And in fact, I want to say welcome to some of the members who've showed up to this committee who I've never seen here before. It's great to have you here in the hearing room with us. Now, before I get started on the topic at hand, I want to take a moment to speak directly to the immigrant community who might be watching and listening today. I want to say to everyone out there who is living in fear, we see you. We love you.
▶ 2:00:39We respect you and we are fighting for you and every community that is being targeted by this administration and this Congress. We also want all of you out there to know that you have rights. You are protected by the law and you should not have to live in fear and wonder whether or not you're going to be safe if you leave your home or if your family is going to come home at night. We see you. We are fighting for you.
▶ 2:01:10You have rights. Now, let's turn to the situation in California, which of course much of this hearing has focused on. As someone from a Marine veteran family, let me be clear. Marines are combat troops.
▶ 2:01:31They are highly trained, highly disciplined, lethal fighting force combat troops and they should never, never be deployed against the American people who are exercising their constitutional rights. This is a gross and disgusting abuse of power. A disgusting abuse of power by fake tough guys.
▶ 2:02:00Fake tough guys who think that they can intimidate our communities while taking away their rights. And this is from the same man. The same man who dodged the draft and called our military service members suckers and losers. That's your commanderin-chief.
▶ 2:02:17And here these folks here and the president want to say they're for our military and our veterans while they're illegally deploying service members, violating state sovereignty, gutting the VA, firing generals and lifelong service members, and you all want to sit in here and play like you're with the military and the American people while Donald Trump is planning to spend $45 million of your hard-earned taxpayer dollars on a fake military
▶ 2:02:47parade this Saturday that they can't even fill that they put a super PAC ad on Craigslist to recruit citizens of the city of Washington DC to go stand in the parade route. Congratulations. It's made for TV. But this is serious because this is an abuse of power. So I want to read a list of grievances.
▶ 2:03:14obstructing the administration of justice, refusing to ascent to the laws for the public good, sending swarms of officers to harass our people, keeping standing armies without consent of our legislatures, transporting Americans overseas to be tried for pretend offenses. Mr. Chairman, I wonder, do you know where these offenses come from? No. A that's too bad because it's actually the Declaration of That's right.
▶ 2:03:44It's the Declaration of Independence. And my colleagues across the aisle might want to bone up on that in the US Constitution before they go attacking our communities, especially as we head into the Fourth of July holiday and celebrate our independence from an abusive and mad king. Because here in America, there are no kings. And we reject people who believe they are. and no one is above the law and we will hold them accountable.
▶ 2:04:15But I think it's very clear today and I think it's been borne out by every witness that we have here that what Donald Trump is doing is not only an abuse of power and abuse of the military and abuse of our citizens, but also y'all should know this while you're sitting here creating this made for TV moment that 23 of Americans according to the polling yesterday are opposed to what Donald Trump is doing with both immigration and the deployment of the military
▶ 2:04:45in our communities. It's wrong. It's immoral. It's illegal. And it's a violation of our rights. And with that, I yield back. Chair recognizes Mr. Langworthy from New York. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Uh, Governor Hokll, yes or no. Do you think someone who's committed murder or rape in this country and that they're here illegally should have tools at their disposal to avoid deportation?
▶ 2:05:12as the governor's primary responsibility is to protect his crimes are abhorentt I'm sorry whatever response you prepared to give today dwarfs in comparison to your actions as governor uh I I would like to remind you of someone named Gian Franco Torres Navaro an illegal alien and suspected leader of a violent Peruvian gang he was tied to 23 murders in Peru and came to this country illegally across the southern border uh he had his victim's
▶ 2:05:43faces tattooed on his body and he was hiding in plain sight in Endicott, New York for an extended period of time where ICE could not locate him. And why did it take so long to find him? Because policies like your green light law, which blocks ICE in US Border Patrol from accessing critical DMV databases.
▶ 2:06:06In fact, it threatens the badges and threatens to uh charge with felonies any officer that shares that DMV data with federal agents. These agents rely on data to be able to know who they're pulling over on the side of the road. They're taking their lives into their hands every time they're trying to, you know, keep our streets safe.
▶ 2:06:27Um the the the really sick irony here is that your government in New York, my home state, freely shares that same DMV data with the government of Canada at our bridges in you and my hometown. But it doesn't share that data with your American federal government. Why?
▶ 2:06:52you're misstating the green light law because we are able to cooperate with federal authorities when there's a Why do you shield the database, Governor? Anything they want from us related to investigating a crime data that's needed in real time to enforce the laws on the streets. They can't subpoena these records from your government. And our I've tal I've had these conversations with my county sheriffs all across the state of New York. State police, they want to work with the federal officials.
▶ 2:07:23They want to clean up these messes, but they can't because they were being threatened by you and our attorney general that they'll take away their badge and end their careers. Been countless countless instances where we've cooperated with federal law enforcement. Happens on a daily basis. And so your characteration characterization is just incorrect of how we provide information to people who ask for it. You share the database in its entirety with Canada, but you don't share it with the federal government. I it's just it's beyond belief.
▶ 2:07:52I mean, this is denial and excuses. Governor, uh you know damn well that the New York State Sheriff's Association, the state association of chiefs of police have both condemned the green light law. Sheriffs from Erie County, Niagara County, Monroe, Albany, Broom, Duchess, and Onidita counties. Multiple parties represented here, not just Republicans, uh have warned that your law ties their hands. It puts officers lives in danger and it shields criminals from accountability.
▶ 2:08:18When you refuse to work with law enforcement, when you refuse to hand over data that can protect communities and save lives, you are actively aiding the illegal alien criminals who have crossed our borders and committed violent crimes. And the consequences are not hypothetical. Your bail reform law is the reason that Lake Riley is dead. He should have been in jail in New York and he wasn't. He went to Georgia. He fled our state because he should have been in prison. These are tragic and real circumstances.
▶ 2:08:49In Buffalo, a Venezuelan illegal immigrant hacked his wife to death with an axe. In Syracuse, an Ecuadorian national strangled a young woman on her birthday and dumped her body in a park. In Arandco in Monroe County, a Dominican national slaughtered his ent an entire family, including two toddlers and he set their house on fire. Governor Hokll, you took an oath to serve the citizens of the state of New York.
▶ 2:09:14And you've allowed violent criminals who came here illegally to hide in plain sight and to avoid federal officials because of your support for the green light law. I mean, this is an abomination. This is not keeping New Yorkers safe. We turn over the information you're referring to all the time. You're misstating the the laws and its purpose. We cooperate all the time. I as much as I want to believe you, Governor, I believe the cops more.
▶ 2:09:40Well, I believe the cops that I know and I trust in our in our same hometown that are that are out there in the streets every single day. Your laws put lives in danger. Your laws have led to people being murdered. My job is to protect the people of New York and I fight hard every single day. I have You're doing a very lousy job crimes. Murder rates are down to historic lows and we're working hard to make sure one crime is one too many. I take this very seriously.
▶ 2:10:08But we do cooperate when anytime they need help with law enforcement and you're just not what the law enforcement officials accepting the facts. I can't help. I the I trust the professionals. You and I aren't police officers. I trust the people out in the field that wear a badge that are honorable, decent, hardworking people and that's why they should. And you you have a a record of disrespect to law enforcement just like you disrespected every corrections officer in the state of New York.
▶ 2:10:37You have a lot of gall to come here and criticize the president for using the National Guard to actually bring law and order to the streets of our country. when you sent those same National Guard officers to become corrections officers after you destroyed the lives of so many of the hardworking corrections officers of the state when you broke their union. You're absolutely right. There is a distinction. I have the authority over the National Guard in the state of New York.
▶ 2:11:02The president is usurping the sovereignty of another state of the 50 states when he imposes the National Guard against the will of the governor. Just a difference of understanding of basic civics. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I yield back. Mr. Chairman, I have a unanimous consent request. I'm sorry. I have a unanimous consent request. Proceed. Uh, first, I'd like to seek unanimous consent to enter into the record this article.
▶ 2:11:26Uh, counties that provided sanctuary to undocumented immigrants saw falling crime rate study fines. Without objection, ordered. Second, data shows sanctuary policies make communities safer, healthier, and more prosperous. Without objection, ordered. And third, Trump team focuses deportation on immigration numbers, not criminals. Without objection, so ordered. Chair now recognizes Mr. Garcia from California. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank our governors for being here as well. Thank you all for your service to your states and to our country.
▶ 2:11:55Um, I want to just be clear, Donald Trump clearly and House Republicans are really not serious about helping our states and our cities. Uh, before I came to Congress, uh, I was a mayor and I worked closely with our police department. uh incredible men and women that worked really hard to promote policies that actually make the public safer. Now, during that time, our city actually reported some of the lowest murder rates in history. And I've been in close touch with our current police department, our local sheriff, and local law enforcement.
▶ 2:12:22And I want to be clear, Donald Trump is intentionally provoking chaos, hate, and division. Now, Trump is trying to intimidate. He's using our military to create fear and there's no legal justification for his actions. I strongly believe he's trying to keep American citizens from peacefully making their voices heard. We just had a demonstration in my hometown of Long Beach, California. Over 500 people showed up. There was no vandalism. There were no arrests and it was peaceful and I want to thank them.
▶ 2:12:51Trump is trying to make it very clear that this is about intimidation. I believe he's fueling violence on our streets because he thinks it's politically helpful to him. And I actually want to remind our committee that when Donald Trump was president in 2020, that's actually when we saw surges in violent crime across the country. They increased under Donald Trump's watch. We should be focused on actual public safety threats. But we know that Donald Trump is taking federal law enforcement away from actually investigating serious crimes and cartels.
▶ 2:13:21And if you ask any police department police chief across the country, in your states, they will tell you they want their police focused on the issues in their neighborhoods, in the state, traffic violations, speeding, domestic violence. Those are the issues that people want to see addressed. Law enforcement should be focused on those issues. And I know the governors agree.
▶ 2:13:44Back in my home district in Downey, California, we've had agents just yesterday grab people in front of churches, their houses of worship. Agents refused to identify themselves and show warrants. An elderly man was dropping off his granddaughter at their local church and was detained in front of the property and the family. That is outrageous and should be disturbing to every single American. And we know this does actually nothing to protect the public. But this, of course, is Donald Trump's playbook.
▶ 2:14:14He doesn't care about the safety of the American people. He fuels hate and fear. It's no coincidence that Donald Trump is fueling chaos. At the same time, he's advancing legislation which the American people know is completely toxic and harmful to this country. We're looking at 16 million people losing health care. It's being debated right now as we speak in the Senate. Nutrition cuts for seniors and veterans. huge tax cuts for the wealthiest and the largest corporations in this country.
▶ 2:14:44And while this is being debated, Donald Trump is causing chaos and fear across our country. I want to ask the governors in the remaining time that that that we have. Um it is clear that healthc care and these impacts of this bill will impact all three of your states greatly. And so I have a a brief question. What is the bigger risk to your state?
▶ 2:15:08ripping away health care from millions of people across the country, thousands and thousands in your own states or the lawabiding working undocumented folks in your states. And I'll let you each go ahead and give that answer. We'll start with Governor Thank you very much, Congressman Garcia. U there are 770,000 people who stand to lose their health care in the state of Illinois. Uh perhaps even more depending on how this bill turns out.
▶ 2:15:34And I can tell you that there are people who are dependent upon Medicaid and Medicare to survive. I am deeply, deeply concerned about the deaths that will occur as a result of the cuts. Not to mention that we're taking away SNAP benefits from families that need it most and children, veterans services, people who have PTSD who need to see their therapist at a certain time now have to wait much longer periods of time because of the threat that of this bill.
▶ 2:16:03So, I I'm deeply concerned. Doge has taken away one of our facilities in the state of Illinois already. It's a huge problem and that is the threat. Thank you, Governor Walls. Yeah, thank you, Congressman. In Minnesota, uh in 2023, we were ranked as the top state for healthcare, home of the Mayo Clinic. We have more people covered almost than any other state. Uh this bill would take 250,000 people off of health care, make it more difficult, reduce the outcomes we're getting.
▶ 2:16:3140% of those are children receive their care through that way and over 70 I believe 70% of nursing home patients. It would be catastrophic and the state has built it up to improve lives of all of our citizens. Thank you. And finally, Governor Hokll, healthc care is a basic human right and I'm proud in the state of New York that 95% of people in our state have healthc care coverage, but these devastating cuts will throw off at least 1.5 million New Yorkers.
▶ 2:16:57and not just those individuals, but when hospitals and rural areas have to shut down, the entire community will lose important services. So, this will have a ripple effect through our economy and hurt more than just the people who lose their Medicaid. And it is devastating and absolutely unwarranted. We encourage everyone to stand up, speak up on behalf of their constituents, especially those from the state of New York who represent rural areas. They're counting on you. Thank you, Governors. I I thank you and I yield back. chair.
▶ 2:17:26Now recognize Mr. Biggs from Arizona. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I get a kick out of you sanctuary state, county, city leaders who talk about having to deal with the border crisis. Cracks me up, actually. At least at least, Governor Pritzkar, you did call it a crisis in your statement. I appreciate that. Ultimately, as you said in your statement, you received 50,000 illegal aliens into Cook County. And Governor Hokll stated that New York received about 220,000 illegal aliens.
▶ 2:17:55That's fantastic that you know those numbers roughly. Now, I want you to imagine you're a southern Arizona community of about 80,000 people sitting right on the border. And over the course of the Biden administration, a couple of million people came through your little And I quoted you, Governor Pritsker. Illinois didn't ask for this crisis. And I'm going to tell you, neither did you its lone hospital.
▶ 2:18:24Only hospital couldn't handle the influx. Nor could its single food bank, its law enforcement, its schools, and other services and infrastructure. That was a failure. You're correct on the part of the federal government under Joe Biden. That's all stopped now. That's all stopped now because it didn't take a new law. It took enforcement of the current But you know what drew a lot of those people? Cuz you might have been down there once. I've been down there dozens of times.
▶ 2:18:55Taken more people from Congress down there than anybody else And you know what those people told me? They're coming here because they do they do want they they wanted to get to places. And they would name Chicago and they would name New York to me. And I'd say, "Why the heck are you crossing here and not crossing at Del Rio?" Because you guys offered sanctuary policies. They believed that they would be protected in your jurisdictions.
▶ 2:19:23And now that these millions of illegal aliens are here, permitted to get here by the Democrats and the Biden your jurisdictions actually hinder the enforcement of immigration laws because of the sanctuary policies you've adopted. And then you have the timmerity to complain about the influx of illegal aliens that strain your social services. Well, you did that. That's that's called that's not even an unintended consequence. That's what it is.
▶ 2:19:54So, I'll ask you, Governor Waltz, do you agree with Minnesota attorney uh your attorney general's opinion stating that it's not lawful for Minnesota counties to hold people for immigration authorities, even if there is an immigration warrant? Do you agree with his statement? That's his statement. It's not yours. I just want to know if you agree with him. Yeah. Well, I know you know this, Congressman, that all 87 Minnesota counties follow federal law. I don't know that. I just want to know. I want I don't know. Why would I know that? I I'm just going by your attorney general. He says not to do it. Do you agree with the attorney general?
▶ 2:20:24That's all I'm asking. The attorney general is elected independently in Minnesota. Nothing in his opinion allows it in Minnesota. So, are you telling me you don't you disagree with him? Could I just I just want you to answer the question. You're not answering the question. I served here, Congressman, and there's the respect to the witnesses to just be able to speak. Yeah. Yeah. There is and there should be respect and that respect from the witness should be to answer the question. Our counties and and jurisdictions can do whatever they deem necessary. They have to be Do you agree with your attorney general?
▶ 2:20:53Apparently, we don't know because you're not going to answer. You're going to be oblique about it. So, that's unfair characterization. I'm trying to answer. I'm not the attorney general of Minnesota. Do you agree with Do you agree with his his memo? And you and you're you're killing time because you're filibustering. Do you agree with his memo? That's all I'm asking. Nothing. and you don't want to even answer it. You just say, "Oh, you know, they get maybe that, maybe yes, maybe no. I don't know." Let's go to you, Governor Pritsker. A lawsuit was filed against you in the state of Illinois.
▶ 2:21:22And um you responded your your your response to the claim is that Illinois has a quote constitutionally protected choice not to assist federal authorities with deportation, close quote. Give me the give me the constitutional uh uh reference you're you're making there. What are you referring to, Congressman? I don't know the lawsuit that you're referring to, and I don't know that I was the respondent in that lawsuit.
▶ 2:21:51I can say that this is this is from from the response filed on your behalf. So, you didn't read the response. Well, let me then ask you if that is the response officially of of you, how is that consistent with Arizona versus US? It's not. How is it consistent with 8 USC 287 D3? It's not. Let's let's just cover the last 18 seconds.
▶ 2:22:14When you guys say we're going to we do you say we do we do give these people information only on a criminal warrant. Is there any distinction in 8 USC 1373A 1324 1324 C that says yeah you you you don't have to give information. You don't have to provide the body. You don't have to respond to the ICE detainer.
▶ 2:22:38Is there anything in there that says there's a distinction between the criminal law, the criminal warrant, the criminal detainer, and a civil warrant, civil detainer? Is there anything in there? The answer is no. I'll answer for you. You do violate the law. You are sanctuary cities.
▶ 2:22:54And and every one of you sitting there, if you don't know that by now, you should know it walking out of here that you are actually committing a federal crime every time someone does that because you don't have the authority under federal law or under the Constitution to negate even a civil warrant for someone who's violated a federal offense when you get a detainer notice. Yield back. Chair recognizes Mr. Frost from Florida. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
▶ 2:23:24All over the country, people are protesting nonviolently President Trump's treatment of immigrants and they are right to. And I think it's important that we are clear as leaders about what's going on in this country right now. There is no mass deportation campaign. Deportation is a process, a process that is not being followed right now. What's going on is people are being snatched up in the middle of the streets, trafficked, kidnapped in the middle of the streets, trafficked to other countries without due process.
▶ 2:23:54Trump is taking blatantly illegal and inhumane actions to stoke protests and then escalating things from there. Over the weekend, he sent the US troops to California. This is dangerous. First, the California National Guard without the governor's support and now the Marines. The Marines are trained to fight and win wars, not to deescalate a protest in the heart of an American city. Members of our armed services have sworn an oath to the Constitution.
▶ 2:24:22They didn't swore an oath to Donald Trump, and they're not his personal army. And so, in the face of a wannabe dictator, we have to have strong opposition. First, the Trump administration says they're going to arrest judges. Then, they arrested a judge. Then, they talk about arresting elected officials. Then a mayor gets arrested. Then they said they'd arrest a member of Congress and one has been indicted. Democratic member of Congress has been indicted.
▶ 2:24:48And now we have Trump's borders, Tom Hman, who's threatened to arrest the California governor. And I don't think we should take this as an empty threat. Why is Trump now saying he wants to arrest governors? It's because he knows that some of the people who are going to be the greatest opposition to his lawlessness are Democratic governors standing up for their people. And so I I'm just curious to hear from our three governors here today because these things can be put forth as hypotheticals, but they're not hypotheticals.
▶ 2:25:19Elected officials are being arrested. This is happening. The DOJ is being weaponized against us. So if federal agents were to come to your door to the governor's mansion, approach your security staff to arrest you, you have Tom Tom Hullman on the news saying, "I want to arrest Governor Hokll, Governor Pritsker, Governor Walls." What do you do? What do you say? I'm just curious. Governor Hokll, you can start. If Tom H.
▶ 2:25:44Homeman comes to Albany to arrest me, I'll say go for it. You can't intimidate a governor. What is this country coming to when people can threaten us on social media and on cable news and try to stop us from doing our jobs? We're here on the front lines every day fighting to defend our rights, our values, and the public safety of our residents.
▶ 2:26:08And so any anything anything threatening our responsibility is an assault on our democracy. Nothing short of that. Thank you, Congressman. I let me begin by saying I have the highest duty to protect the people of my state and indeed if Tom Holman were to come to try to arrest us, my me rather, uh I can say first of all that he can try.
▶ 2:26:35Um, I can also tell you that I will stand in the way of Tom Hman going after people who don't deserve to be frightened in their communities, who don't deserve to be threatened, terrorized. I would rather that he came and arrested me than do that to the people of my state. Well, thank you, Congressman. And and I sitting here listening today again, I there's many of you in here. I friends on both sides of the aisle that I served here.
▶ 2:27:04The job of governor is very different than the job you're doing. But we need you. We need to work together. No one here wants to hear these horrific stories. But we have a job to do on limited resources. And equating that not doing ISIS's job means we're not cooperating. We're patrolling our highways. I'm proud that Minnesota is a state third lowest in traffic deaths. If we start doing all the things at ICE, and nothing we do precludes them from doing their job.
▶ 2:27:32and so threatening and political and I did not realize I guess I I watched I didn't realize how much animosity there is here. We have a responsibility the American public to work together and I think threatening arrest on elected officials congressman uh it doesn't help any of us and and and he Governor Pritkar is right. Our citizens are scared and angry and it's not necessary. We can fix this with a bipartisan border bill. Help us out. Thank you, Governor.
▶ 2:27:59I I want to end by saying former governor and now secretary of homeland security Christristine Gnome last just last year said that federalizing the national guard would be a direct attack on states rights and now she's cheering it on. President Trump has cons consolidated power so much in his own party there's little to no pretty much zero opposition left to his lawlessness. We hear it in this room right now.
▶ 2:28:22And the last thing I want to say too is what's going on right now is not just a distraction from the fact that they want to pass a massive tax break for the richest Americans and take away services and things to from working families, but it's to enable it. These aren't two different stories because the only way you rip away healthcare from 15 million Americans in this country and not feel like you have to fear for your job or that you're going to be protested every day is by scaring the people and suppressing their First Amendment right.
▶ 2:28:50What's going on in Los Angeles and what this Donald Trump wants to do around the nation is directly connected to the fact that he's going to take away healthcare from all of these people, 15 million Americans to benefit people like him and his donors. And it's shameful. These aren't two different things. It's the same thing. I yield back. Chair recognizes Mr. Higgins from Louisiana. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess thank you for being here today.
▶ 2:29:20This was staged to be a it was bound to be, you know, political conflict here. But I like to get pretty real with each of you. I know Governor Walsh pretty good. He and I came to be came to be, believe it or not, America. Governor Waltz and I came to be quite friendly. I consider him a friend for many years. And it was fascinating that we disagreed on almost everything politically.
▶ 2:29:50I doubt there was a vote we had in common, but I'm pretty sure I could call Governor Waltz and get a straight Um, even now, at least in private, but in a setting like this, it's difficult to get a straight answer because you're being viewed so closely. All of us are. So, I'm going try and be real with you. And Governor Pritsker, I don't know you. Governor Hokll, I don't know you.
▶ 2:30:20I can tell you that um that you strike me as extremely political and rather arrogant, quite smug, good lady. And it this this is a serious topic, We have hundreds of thousands of Americans dead from fentinel that came across our border.
▶ 2:30:44It was our nation suffered generational trauma for four years from open border policies and we listened and in ad nauseium speech after speech after speech about how Mayorcus who struck me as equally smug in many horrific meetings said we need more money. We need more laws. We never needed more money. We never needed more laws.
▶ 2:31:13We needed an executive branch that had the will to enforce the law and thus end the trauma that the American people were continually suffering at our southern border. Now, the impact of that policy remains and sanctuary cities are a large part of this thing. Now, I don't know the life of of you three, your background.
▶ 2:31:42I don't know if you've held the hand of a mother or father had to deliver to them the news that their child had been been killed by a violent prayed with that person. But I have and the victims of crime commonly have a simple refrain. Why? Why? Why did this happen to my family?
▶ 2:32:12And I I'm going to ask you, Governor Prrisker, and you, Governor Hokll, what do you say to those people when if you have you ever had the courage to speak with one in person, in private, without cameras, and and when they ask you why, why was this why was this horrible person invited to Illinois or New York?
▶ 2:32:39Why do your sanctuary policies encourage Why did this guy that killed my Why was he in my state? Representative, don't tell me it's limited resources. Representative, don't don't tell me it's limited resources. I'll let you know when it's time for you to answer the question, madam. Okay?
▶ 2:33:02Don't tell me it's limited resources because we're talking about the resource of righteousness and goodness and God controls the bank of righteousness and goodness and there's no limit to that Governor Pritsker, what do you tell a family when they ask you why?
▶ 2:33:24Why was this murderer in my state that came here across the border illegally and was encouraged to come to my state by your policies? Go. You said invited or encouraged. 50,000 people invited,00 own it. I'm not beating them. I'm telling you 50,000 people were shipped to my state by a Republican border state.
▶ 2:33:5450,000 is a smidgen. We have 15 million cross the border. I'm glad they bust some to you. I have I have been clear policies favoring border security. There was a bill last year on that very subject. Sir, on the question of what I said to that family, I would say my heart is breaking for you. I'm a mother. When you describe the pain of a family like that, I've been there. I have held victims families in my heart. That's a good start. And I'll tell you this, Mr.
▶ 2:34:24Chairman, to be a religious person, but we are gentleman's times expired. Chair recognizes Miss Lee from Pennsylvania. Mr. Chair, Mr. Chairman. Oh. Oh, I recognize ranking member Fern. Okay. Couple of things. One, I want to raise a point of order. uh it is against the rules to to uh attack or to uh breach the decorum with respect to our witnesses. You can't ranking me like this or you look like that. You look like this.
▶ 2:34:51You cannot you cannot criticize the countenance of of a witness when they come before the committee. You can raise issues, no question, but you cannot personally attack a witness. That is that is not within the rules. That is not in accordance with the quorum here and I'm I'm I'm I would raise that same concern if the ranking member. All right. Secondly, proceed with the unanimous consent. Secondly, unanimous consent.
▶ 2:35:16I have asking unanimous consent uh to submit a document entitled Trump wants to cut funding to sanctuary cities and towns, but they don't actually violate the federal law. Without objection to order, chair now recognizes Miss Lee from Pennsylvania. Yeah, thanks Mr. Chair. It's always funny the the lack of decorum that we get and people drop they we do drop the gentleman act here often times when attacking women who aren't able to defend themselves with equal time. But that's kind of the theme here, right?
▶ 2:35:45Attacking Americans or people who are not able to defend themselves or at least who Republicans hope can't defend themselves. And that's what we're seeing uh essentially in Los Angeles. So I would say that this hearing is quite timely. Uh what's happening with ICE in the military in Los Angeles is terrifying and is directly caused by Trump's policies and his cruelty. It was Trump's overzealous ICE agents who started this specific incident.
▶ 2:36:08And now they want us to get bogged down and arguing over the right types of protest or the right types of way or the right way to defend yourself, the the mythical perfect type so that we could ignore that Trump is the one who is escalating all of this. Trump is the one who ordered in thousands of National Guardsmen over the objection of Governor Nuome, something that hasn't been done since 1965.
▶ 2:36:31Trump is the one deploying Marines not on an enemy abroad, but on the American people who are exercising their First Amendment right in this instance, the only opportunity that they have to defend themselves against lawless lawmakers who are imposing cruelty upon them for party of so-called law and order folks, they sure are stamp stampeding over people's constitutional rights and intentionally inciting more chaos, more fear, more anxiety.
▶ 2:37:01and increasing the likelihood that people will get hurt. Uh, in the end, what's happening in Los Angeles is just one of many incidents where Trump and his administration have not given a single damn about people's safety. For one, the ICE and DHS agents that are arresting people and raiding places often don't even have any kind of uniform or identifying badge. They're masked and they're in unmarked cars. Miss Pamman, just briefly, why is it so dangerous to have mass plane clothes, ICE agents arresting people?
▶ 2:37:30So, I'll just um thank you, Congresswoman, for your question. I'll go back to what I said before that we know our Constitution recognizes and our country recognizes the importance of trust between local law enforcement, the federal government, and governors. And what we're seeing here is a breach of trust. It's an escalation and um and it's dangerous for the American people. Trump said he was only going to go after undocumented criminals, but that's clearly not the case.
▶ 2:38:00Whether through incompetence or straight up racial profiling, ICE and DHS agents are wrongfully arresting US citizens. We've talked about it today and they're uh and catching these mistakes often happens too late after uh an American citizen has already been illegally thrown into another country. And Trump's administration is doing nothing to get them back. These agents are also going into previously protected spaces as we've discussed like churches and schools and hospitals.
▶ 2:38:25DHS agents tried to get into an elementary school by lying that they had the permission from the parents. That is a cartoonish level of evil. ICE also arrested a Massachusetts high school senior Marcela Gomez Dilva on his way to volleyball practice. Governor Walls, you're a former teacher and coach. Do you think these kinds of actions create instability for students? And do you worry about increasing anxiety of kids coming to school? Well, thank you, Congressman.
▶ 2:38:54I I certainly do. Uh creating that safe environment where our kids can come and the expectation is to learn. Uh they certainly do. Once again, there is there's no reason to use these enforcement actions at those locations when there are other tools. And I think again this false equivalency that that we do not want violent criminals to be uh to be arrested, detained and go through due process. We do.
▶ 2:39:19But hugely detrimental to educational system, hugely detrimental to a system that is dependent on trust and the the goodwill of everyone in that school system. So yeah, it is detrimental. Thank you, Governor Walls. These same kids getting arrested are often being separated from their families. They are scared. They're alone. an attorney is one of the few resources they had access to that is now being taken away as well. The Trump administration's canceled contracts with legal groups uh that represent those undocumented children in immigration court.
▶ 2:39:48This is going to force thousands of kids as young as two years old to represent themselves very quickly as we're running out of time. Miss Perryman, how's a 2-year-old supposed to represent themselves in court? Uh a 2-year-old can't represent um itself in court, him or herself in court. And um I'll just say that we are in court every single day seeking to try to ensure that people have access to legal representation, which of course this administration is really seeking to curtail. They are seeking to to ignore due process rights.
▶ 2:40:15I was going to say, would you say that it is due process if a 2-year-old is left to represent themselves? Absolutely. It's a flagrant violation of our constitution. It's also something that shocks the conscience. We'll leave it there. Uh thank you. I yel back. The witnesses have requested a a 15minute bathroom break. But before we do that, I'm going to go to Dr. Fox for uh five minutes of questions. After Dr. Fox, we'll take a 15minute break for the uh witnesses and then we'll start back with Mr. Casar. So chair recognizes Dr.
▶ 2:40:44Fox from North Carolina for five minutes. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Uh, Governor Wals, as you're aware, Minnesota saw the largest coid9 fraud scheme in the nation. The so-called nonprofit Feeding Our Future, falsely claimed to have served 91 million meals to children, for which it received nearly $250 million in federal funds.
▶ 2:41:11According to the FBI, the 250 million in federal taxpayer money was quote funneled into luxury homes, cars, and lavish lifestyles while families struggled. In March, two individuals were convicted in connection with this case, and I understand related investigation continues.
▶ 2:41:31The FBI stated that quote, "The egregious fraud uncovered in the Feeding Our Future case re represents the blatant betrayal of public trust. The FBI will not allow criminals to rob federal programs and walk away unscathed, will expose their schemes, dismantle their networks, and ensure they face the full weight of justice.
▶ 2:41:55Do you support the federal government's efforts to bring to justice those who stole federal taxpayer money at the expense of hungry children in your state? Thank you, Dr. Fox. Wholeheartedly. And this is a great example when the federal government works with the state. We reported it. They prosecuted them. They are in prison. So, do you support federal efforts to bring to justice those who commit federal crimes in Minnesota? I most certainly do. Okay.
▶ 2:42:24Does Minnesota I honor ICE detainer request? Congresswoman, thank you for the question. I've been making sure I get my opportunity here. Minnesota follows all federal law. State law requires, and I would say the state law requires all state and county facilities to ask for immigration status when a convicted felon is committed and tells DHS if they're undocumented. All state facilities. DOC calls DHS before a convicted felon leaves prison. We have a controlled handover.
▶ 2:42:53How can we be sure that your state is serious about cooperating with the federal government to enforce our immigration laws? We do it on a daily basis, Congresswoman. And again, I say this is the floor. Counties can do more. But here's the confusion we have right now. Last week, a list of supposed sanctuary cities or counties were put out. Many of those were counties in Minnesota that had gone above and beyond. Their sheriffs said it put them at risk because they were doing that.
▶ 2:43:21they were doc they were sharing information and doing what they're supposed to do. It's a coordination issue and but you said in your answer it's only if they've been convicted of crimes that or a judicial warrant or a judicial warrant. That's correct. After due process has been served so that you don't cooperate if they're illegally here and the ICE comes to get them.
▶ 2:43:46If they have gone through the process, Congresswoman, and and they have received due process and ICE ISIS's job is to come and get them. It's what I've been saying. If they're here illegally, then they're here illegally. There's no they they've broken the law already. Many are many are here asylum seekers. They've overstate a visa. Let me I have another question to ask you, Governor. As I've said before in this committee, innocent American taxpayers are collateral damage in the Democrats pursuit of open border policies.
▶ 2:44:17Americans pay with their wallets, their safety, and all too often their lives. This is unacceptable. I'm sure you're aware, Governor, that your state has spent hundreds of millions of state taxpayer dollars to address the surge of illegal aliens in Minnesota. Are you also aware of any NOS's operating in your state that provide services to illegal aliens? And have those NOS's received any federal funding? I I can't answer that at this time.
▶ 2:44:47I don't have it in front of me. Well, we have to end the shameful practice of NOS's working against immigration law enforcement efforts. That's why I introduced HR2 245, the Grant Integrity and Border Security Act, to stop NOS's who work against US laws from receiving a single scent of taxpayer funds. Americans should never tolerate a government that uses their own tax money against them. And Mr.
▶ 2:45:17Chairman, I yield back. Klay yields back. Before we recess, recognize Raver for UC. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I ask unanous consent to submit a an article from the Seattle Times entitled National Serif Association Head Tears into Fed's sanctuary list. Without objection, so ordered. Pursuant to the previous order, the committee will stand in recess for 15 minutes. Committee stands in recess.
▶ 3:05:57The committee will attempt to come back in order. Give everybody give the witnesses a a second to find their seats and then we'll recognize the next Thank you all. Chair now recognizes Mr. Casar from Texas for five minutes. Good afternoon, governors.
▶ 3:06:22Republicans have dragged you in today for questioning because they say your immigration policies are dangerous for American citizens. So I want to ask each of you some questions about recent effect events affecting US citizens. Governor Pritsker, was it your administration or was it the Trump administration that arrested a 10-year-old US citizen recovering from brain cancer and sent her to Mexico?
▶ 3:06:53It was the Trump administration, sir. Correct. That was the Trump administration. Governor Walls, 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 US I believe that was the Trump administration. That's correct. That was the Trump administration.
▶ 3:07:19Governor Hokll, was it your administration or was it the Trump administration that arrested a totally innocent US citizen pregnant woman who wound up in the hospital after her detention? Those horrific situations are all the results of the Trump administration's over enforcement of our laws. That was just this week. And that's correct. That was the Trump administration. Let me be clear.
▶ 3:07:46Democratic 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, US 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.
▶ 3:08:14Trump 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-Eleven, ignoring gangs. Trump is targeting people trying to follow the rules and go to a court hearing, ignoring those who commit real violence. And then there's the kids.
▶ 3:08:42Imagine just for a moment that they're your kids. Law enforcement raids at our schools. Kids with their hands zip tied behind their backs. Multiple US 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, no matter who we are and where we come from.
▶ 3:09:12People 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 is going after anyone who dares try to put up guard rails against this. Arresting judges, arresting mayors, arresting members of Congress and union leaders. This is not law. This is not order. This is chaos.
▶ 3:09:41And it's dangerous for all of Around the country right now, people are peacefully protesting to show the world the awful things the Trump administration is doing. Tearing families and communities apart, ignoring the rule of law, making us all less safe. And please know if you're one of those peaceful demonstrators, I hear you. I see you. I have your back.
▶ 3:10:08So many of you are suffering because someone you love is terrified or has been unjustly taken away from you by this administration. But Donald Trump does not want people to hear your message. That's why he's taken National Guard troops and the Marines away from their jobs and has sent them to Los Angeles, breaking all the rules about how protests like this are handled.
▶ 3:10:33Trump and Governor Abbott have even sent troops to my district in downtown San Antonio, a place that has been perfectly orderly and peaceful. Because as always, we know 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, and blame somebody else for the flames.
▶ 3:10:58So, if you're 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 he does not care if the rest of us get burned. I yield back. Gentleman yields back. Chair now recognizes Mr. Fallon from Texas. Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 3:11:21Uh Governor Welch, would you say that one of the most important things any governor or quite frankly any elected official can do is to keep their citizens and constituents safe. I would congressman. Great. I would agree. And I asked this because when I was reading your bio that you provided, uh, in no nowhere did you mention the safety and security of motans or fighting crime or supporting law enforcement or for that matter the rule of law. So I want to take you back to 2020. You were the governor of Minnesota. There were summer protests. You referred to them as peaceful demonstrations.
▶ 3:11:52In hindsight, would you still uh you still stand by that? Were they mostly peaceful? Congressman, after the murder of George Floyd on the streets, thousands gathered in the streets. Were there those that But Governor, were they mostly peaceful protests? The vast majority certainly were. Those that weren't. So why would you have to call out the National Guard for mostly peaceful protests? They weren't all peaceful protest. Okay. So they weren't. All right. Mostly. So Governor, uh, the total damage in dollars, what was that in Minnesota for the peaceful protests? I don't have that in in All right.
▶ 3:12:20According to the insurance industry in Minnesota, they put the number between 1 and two billion. And your own state senate put the price tag at 500 million. So, if that's a peaceful protest in Minnesota, I shudder to think what a violent one would cost. Uh, Governor, I'd like to keep protest. Okay. I did not call it that. We had folks who were there. They're in prison. Okay, great. I'd like to uh keep things simple as far as when we talk about federal detainers, and I've talked to several federal law enforcement uh officials about this.
▶ 3:12:47So, a detainer is issued when someone's already in custody and confined jail, prison, court. It's not somebody just plucked off the street randomly. And there's really three conditions and it's andor probable cause that a foreign national is subject to removal from this country, final deportation order has been issued or it's a foreign national that's been convicted of a crime and is about to be released. So sanctuary states won't cooperate with federal law enforcement.
▶ 3:13:16In Minnesota, do you cooperate sometimes, never, or all the time? We follow federal law in all 87 counties and all jurisdictions. Some of them do honor detainer report. Some and some do and some don't. That's correct. Counties have the ability. Okay. So, Governor, would you commit here and now uh and this is really simple.
▶ 3:13:33I think it's common sensical to compel state and locals in Minnesota to cooperate with all federal detainers issued by federal law enforcement when it involves a foreign national that's been convicted of a felony. And I'm talking about kidnappers, rapists, child molesters, murderers, predators, parasites, scumbags. In all those have a felony being held by my state corrections. We all every time we call every single time you're going to do that.
▶ 3:14:02Every time have them come pick it up. What what I would ask you to commit to is are you going to fund ISIS's what they don't pay us on detainers. Well, I listen on detainers and in ICE I don't call them the Gustapo and this is this is my definition of Gustapo. Governor, real Nazis from 1933 to 1945 that facilitated participated in the murder of millions. I don't call federal law enforcement officers Gustapo. You were recently quoted. Where's the apology? Donald Trump. You Oh, no.
▶ 3:14:32Donald Trump didn't listen, you Donald Trump's not here. You are, Governor. Yeah, you're a big boy. Put your big boy. I would I would ask don't wear masks. Identify who you are. Don't pull up and un Governor, you called them a Gustapo. Will you apologize for that? And don't pull people. Will you apologize for that? Uh, congressman, my job, I'm a history teacher. Okay, so you won't. Okay, we're gonna move on. No, chairman. I I reclaim my time if you won't answer the question. I think that's hyperbolic demagoguery. I mean, you said that uh in a a speech, maybe you got a little carried away. I don't know if you apologize for that, too.
▶ 3:15:00That you were quote going to kick Republicans asses. I mean, I didn't say that. You said it. And that's dangerous rhetoric, especially when you use Gestapo. That's lazy, too. And it's terribly inaccurate. The fact of the matter is again time and again you've excused violence and uh and you use dangerous irresponsible rhetoric and you can you can choose between being on the side of law enforcement or the side of vicious criminals and you've chosen the latter time and again. I don't know why.
▶ 3:15:28Maybe it's because you want to impress your limousine liberal friends when you're eating wine and cheese or you're getting your coffee every morning at the hemp store. I don't know. But I think it's ignorant and I think it's culpable and I think it's disgusting. And I can see why the American people on November 5th made it a very bad night for you and a very great night for our future. Mr. Chairman, I yield back. Chair now recognizes Is Crockett here? Okay, then chair recognizes Mr. Bell from Missouri.
▶ 3:15:58Thank you, Mr. Chair, and our witnesses for being here today. Um um I think that it's important for leaders uh to be honest and and and and understand the nuance of issues. Um and as my grandmother used to say, all the easy problems have already been solved. We're left with the tough ones. And so it's important to our constituents that we're explaining the nuance in in in these issues.
▶ 3:16:23And 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 coers them to adhere to federal admin immigration law is unconstitutional. Period. The deployment of federal troops without authorization is unconstitutional. Period.
▶ 3:16:49Masked unidentified ICE agents snatching people off the streets is Period. And since the my colleague brought this up, um, Governor Waltz, um, I'm a former prosecutor, is it good precedence to to have to to allow masked men to show up and take people off the streets, not even identifying themselves? No. And it also puts law enforcement at risk. Absolutely.
▶ 3:17:14and and there's this criminal element might who might say hm we can kidnap people we can rob people come with masks identify ourselves as ICE and and uh someone may not know what they can do is that correct well if I'm not mistaken I I thought yesterday I saw that that very thing happened um someone identified themselves as ICE and committed a crime yes it's look we you wear the badge for a reason you wear the name for a reason and you're you're you're uh you make sure that you're coordinated with those
▶ 3:17:44other law enforcement agencies are there. It's a it's a dangerous situation for everyone. Absolutely. And and um um and so governors, quickly, as it relates to criminal trends in in in your state, are illegal immigrants more or less likely to commit serious violent crimes. It's clear that immigrants commit crime at a lower rate than the rest of our population.
▶ 3:18:06Studies suggest that illegal immigrants were about half as likely as US citizens to commit an offense serious enough to result in incarceration. And it seems to me that we're redirecting critical resources from communities to address immigration when statistically immigrants commit less serious crimes.
▶ 3:18:27And this misalignment risks undermining uh community stability by dep prioritizing other high public safety concerns which you all have to deal with. Um and so I' I'd like to ask quickly too um uh Miss Perryman, are you familiar and and and I'm not sure if you are because this was out of the state house in Missouri. Are you familiar with the Second Amendment Preservation Act?
▶ 3:18:51Is that the act, Congressman, where the state house in Missouri um sought to pass a law that it would not cooperate with federal law enforcement, particularly with gun cases? Yes, ma'am. And so, I'm a little I'm a little confused and and I'd love for my Republican colleagues to clear this confusion up. On one hand, when it involves immigration, they're saying that um we that states like yourselves should do the job for them.
▶ 3:19:20reallocate resources from those from places that you're 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 got to ask in your respective communities, is gun violence a problem?
▶ 3:19:54Governor Hok, any incident 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 crimes in a place like New York City had the lowest crime rate in May in history. And I'm going to reclaim just because I'm short on time, but gun violence is a concern. Would that be safe to say? Yes. Governor, it is absolutely a concern.
▶ 3:20:18And and so if if when local law enforcement and federal law enforcement work together to curb gun violence, which protects all of us and all of our families, I don't hear Republicans complaining about the fact that local local law enforcement is not is literally barred until the Supreme Court overturned this, barred from working with federal officials.
▶ 3:20:43and and I think it's just about hypocrisy um to suggest in this situation that you should be forced to to take the the finite resources that you have to do the federal government's job. Um that's my time. I yield back. Chair recognizes Mr. Sessions from Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. Uh to our friends, Mr. Waltz, welcome back.
▶ 3:21:09uh the uh opportunity that we have today 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 uh from uh 2020 forward. 600,000 children.
▶ 3:21:31We're sitting here arguing about a lot of things, but during the Biden administration, they took no steps, none, to affect, and this is from an IG report. They did not, they were unprepared. They did not know what they were doing. They let people come across. They didn't check. They just took people's word for it.
▶ 3:21:53And we still have these of those 23 thou 233 migrant children were never even given dates to appear in an immigration court. No dates by the Biden administration. Here, come on in. Here you go. I would suggest to you that each of you are participatory for bringing people because of your words. Your words of New York is open, Illinois is open for business. We want you to come.
▶ 3:22:24We want you to be here. And terrible things have happened in our country as a result of of a false promise. I know you're perfectly willing to pay millions of dollars to people out of your own uh coffers. But the bottom line is they came through Texas and other areas and it caused a great deal of carnage and harm. And these migrants are in trouble.
▶ 3:22:52They're in trouble the entire pathway to be taken advantage of a and to to cause harm not just to themsel but other people. I would submit to you 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
▶ 3:23:22lists 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, come to Illinois, come to New York.
▶ 3:23:36Are you aware that 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.
▶ 3:23:56You created a rush whereby people came and the entire pathway is littered with not only brand new areas and it's the number of communities that now participate under 280G has exploded and that is because it is the cartel drug cartel's plan to have someone in every single city around America.
▶ 3:24:24In Texas, it used to be Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, maybe Fort Worth, and El Paso. Now, it is smaller cities. Even in the congressional district that I represent, they brought their marketing team with them because there are people who still owe the cartels. This is not a new story.
▶ 3:24:47When Vice President Biden, he 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 every one of you have put a green light out. Please come be with us. We'll take care of you. And it has caused carnage. Governor Waltz.
▶ 3:25:16Well, thank you, Congressman. Uh, first of all, I I think the idea of a nation of immigrants, no one asked for folks who were illegal illegally. We bring in over a million people that legally go through a process, know what our rules are, we do background checks. We're talking about millions of people, no background check. We need to make sure the legal process is done, and those that shouldn't be here aren't. Okay, that's your that's your viewpoint. Now, that's not what has been said in the past.
▶ 3:25:45That's not what Governor Hokll said at the period of time when people were flooding in. It was seen as being okay. Just come. Governor Pritsker. Thank you, Congressman. As a great grandson of an immigrant to this country, um I can tell you that my views about immigration are that it's a positive for this nation in general. Immigration is legally legal immigration. Now, let's talk about what has happened over certainly the last 40 years, if not much longer.
▶ 3:26:15which is why don't we go the last four because we've never had anything like the last four. Let's not put this into a context of history. Let's put it under you as governor. your public comments, Governor Wals's comments, and Governor Hokll's public comments to encourage people to break the law to come through my state and cause carnage and drug cartels to have people now where they have a marketing organization everywhere to where communities
▶ 3:26:45have to have a 287G problem because they have people staying where they had never stayed before. Well, that mischaracterizes things that I have said. Let me just be clear. We have had 40 years of failure at the border and failure of immigration policy. We'll talk about the last four years, right? There were people that were came to the border got because the federal government decided that because there's law that allows this, right? There was not law that allowed there was a presidential directive. Okay, fair enough.
▶ 3:27:13I we're not in charge of the border in Illinois. I can tell you that. We don't have a border with a foreign knowing there between us thousands of children that would come. Governor Hok, we had 50,000 people who came from Texas because they were shipped to us. And let me tell you, I was in favor of helping them find Texas, helping Texas indeed, find a way to provide for them. We as a nation should be welcoming people to this country, not illegally, handling. That's the difference.
▶ 3:27:44And you need to say that. Mr. Chairman, I know my time is up. I'd like to ask unanimous consent to enter to the record United States Department of of Homeland Security uh management report August 19th, 2024, March 2025 for law unaccompanied alien children. Without objection to order, chair recognizes the rank of member for unanimous consent. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 3:28:09I too have a a unanimous consent request for an article uh from The Nation magazine dated May 23rd, 2025 entitled Trump Wants Thousands of Migrant Children to represent themselves in court. Without objection, so ordered. Chair recognizes Mr. Tibb. Thank you, Mr. Chair. To all the witnesses, all of our governors, thank you for being here. Uh I want to start with questions just really quick. Yes or no.
▶ 3:28:37Do you believe in due process for everyone, no matter their immigration status? I do. I do. Yes. What if they didn't vote for you? I still support them. I represent everyone in my uh you know, they disagree with you on immigration. They disagree with you on climate, LGBTQ, right? All of you. We take care of everyone who lives in our state. So, what about Palestinian human rights? I'll start with you, Governor. Support human rights for everyone. Yes. Do you believe they deserve due process?
▶ 3:29:06Even if you disagree with them on Palestinian human rights position. Yes. Uh Governor, yes, we we have. And by the way, we have Governor Palestinian American population. Oh, I know. I'm aware of that. Okay. Yes, ma'am. Uh Governor Hokll, how about you? Yes, we do. Your constituent Mahmud Khalil is still in ICE detention. Are you aware of him? Very much so. And I'm hoping he's returned home on Friday because Yeah, we're working on that. So, he's a legal permanent resident. I know. I just This is important. He's a legal permanent resident. He was kidnapped over three months ago.
▶ 3:29:36And you know, one of the things I want to do is, if I may, chairman, submit for the record, a letter from Mahmud Khalil to uh his son who was born while he was kidnapped and illegally detained by our country. Without objection to order, I'm going to read a little bit from from what he said while he was what he wrote to his son. quote, "I waited on the other line end of the phone as your mother labored to bring you into this world. I listened to your pain breaths." Do you understand?
▶ 3:30:06They had to put the phone next to his wife birthing his child while he was illegally detained. I listened to your pain breaths, her pain breaths, and tried to speak comforting words into her ear over crackling line.
▶ 3:30:20During your first moments, I buried my face in my arms and kept my voice low so that the 70 other men sleeping in this concrete room would not see 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 of separation of families. Read this letter.
▶ 3:30:45take a moment and maybe Governor Hokll sometimes I feel like because he's Palestinian you didn't speak up enough and I say that as a Palestinian American serving here in Congress. We all need to always support due process for everyone no matter if you disagree with them politically or not. The judge said they might release him on Friday. You should use this opportunity, Governor Hokll, to redeem yourself and welcome that decision.
▶ 3:31:11I urge you to all protect your constituents constitutional rights, no matter if you disagree with them politically, including the right to boycott. Right, Governor Pritsker? Including the right to protest, boycott, do whatever. That's right. I want to discuss the next item. This is person that is now, I believe, already on a plane to Colombia. This is Michael Mogya Dante from Southwest Detroit.
▶ 3:31:36He was on his way to a field trip while local police racially profiled him. Said, "Oh, 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.
▶ 3:32:04He had attorneys at a nonprofit legal And you know, governors, I think about him and his trip and he's there and he's with all his friends and he's trying to experience this beautiful thing that we all have experienced. But what makes me angry about the fact that he went on this flight, he's he's probably in Colombia now, without his family, without his school community, without his classmates, is that many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and maybe some mine, their donors benefit
▶ 3:32:34from a broken and humane immigration system. The president of the United States benefited financially and 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're arresting dishwashers, people at Home Depot at work, and their donors benefit. You know it. The restaurant industry benefit.
▶ 3:33:04They know exactly what they're doing. If they even wanted to fix this immigration system, they'd go to the people that employ them. And we know it now detention centers. Guess who's 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.
▶ 3:33:32Fix our economic system in our country. People are starving. People can't afford basic needs. And you're 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's right in this chamber and doing what is right for the American people and making sure we're not separating families. With that, Mr. Chair, I yield. Chair recognizes Mr.
▶ 3:34:02Palmer from Alabama. Thank you, Mr. Mr. Chair, first of all, I want to point out that under article 6 constitution, the supremacy clause that uh by declaring your states sanctuary states, you declared your intent to violate federal law. With that, um, are you aware that illegal aliens with known ties to terrorist organizations are now residing in the United States? That's a yes or no. Quickly, yes or no. Governor Waltz, I don't have firsthand knowledge, but I would assume you should have.
▶ 3:34:31Governor Pritsker, I know that's been alleged. I don't have firsthand knowledge myself. You You should have. Governor Hochel, my joint terrorism task force surveillance has surveillance. Ma'am, that's a yes or no. Either you know or you don't. We are aware. That's amazing. Uh considering that the customs border patrol reported just in fiscal year 23 736 encounters with illegal aliens with ties to terrorist organizations. Uh and there's over two it's 2.2 two million estimated gotaways.
▶ 3:35:02We have no how many known terrorists are in our Do you support the arrest and deportation of illegal aliens with ties to terrorist organizations? A yes or no. Governor Waltz, if due process given, certainly. Governor Pritsker. Exactly. We need due process before we arrest Yes or no? Anyone involved in a crime, we Yes or no? We cooperate with any ma'am. Yes or no? We cooperate with We cannot give a straight answer.
▶ 3:35:31And the answer is you're giving safe harbor to people with ties to terrorist organizations. Are you aware of that? Let me tell you there there you're shielding members of known terrorist organizations such as Trenda Araua, Brown Pride as Tekka, Bario Tekka, Serenos, which is otherwise known as Sir 13 and the 18th Street gang. Those are designated terrorist organizations.
▶ 3:36:01Many of the these are the people responsible for bringing fentanyl in that's killed along with other drugs killed over a 100,000 people per year. We're no longer in a war on drugs. We're we're involved in a war with drugs. These are casualties.
▶ 3:36:20Are you aware that 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 Waltz? Congressman, I don't have direct knowledge of that. Well, I'll help you. Uh, Mr. Uh, chairman, I'd like to enter to the record uh article from uh NBC News.
▶ 3:36:48DHS identifies over 400 migrants brought in the United States by an is affiliated human smuggling network. Is that a problem? Without objection to order, is does that raise any concern for you? None of us want terrorists in this country. Then why are you shielding people here from being picked up by uh our ICE agents, referring to this as a Gustapa organization?
▶ 3:37:15You know, I never want to get up on another morning like I did on September 11th, 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 across but they some of them came through New York.
▶ 3:37:45There's arm smuggling across the Canadian border into New And you're 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 that constitutes more
▶ 3:38:16than the combined active duty forces of the Army and Marines. Does that not does that not strike you as something that should be of great concern to us? Since you raised New York, I'd like to answer. Are you aware cooperate fully with all investigations, particularly terrorists? You can say 911 and not invoke that they're terrorists if you don't allow people to be picked up who came here illegally to at least give an account for their presence.
▶ 3:38:45How do you know if they're not part of that 400 that we know came in through an ISIS affiliated human smuggling operation? You don't know. You're not you're not even looking into that. You're pointing to an abject failure of the federal government to do You're pointing out here is that your sanctuary policies now constitute a threat to our national security. We cooperate in all criminal investigations.
▶ 3:39:09you are engaged in operations against federal government attempts to enforce federal law that I think now constitutes a threat to our national security and you're in violation of federal law. That's 100% false and charges should be for obstruction should be brought against each one of you for doing this. I'll leave that up to the Department of Justice. Mr. Chairman, I yel back. Chair recognizes Miss Crockett from Texas. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chair, point of order. Point of order. That that was intimidation of the witness.
▶ 3:39:39Do do you have a point of inquiry? Yes, I have a point of inquiry. That's your point. Uh raising the prospect of charges against witnesses is a a form of intimidation, is it not? Thank you. I thank you. I and I withdraw the question. I appreciate that. Chair chair recognized Miss Crockett. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um and thank you so much to our governors and I want to say I apologize.
▶ 3:40:03I apologize for the abuse that you are face facing in this committee that is supposed to be about waste, fraud and abuse and I also apologize for wasting your time because this is nothing more than political theater. Now again this committee is supposed to be about waste, fraud and abuse. We did not have to have this full creation of Doge. The committee itself that is our job. So what I want to talk about is what something that the American people may want to know which is economically how is this impacting them?
▶ 3:40:33these failed immigration policies that are only put on so that 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. So, let me talk about something really quickly because I want to clarify something because I believe that all of you understand the importance of something like tourism.
▶ 3:40:54Are you aware, any of you, are you aware 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 dollars in international vendor spending in just the year 2025? I can answer as the tourism capital of the country. I assume you could. Tourism is already down. It is down in the north country where the Canadians refuse to come over because of the hostility toward their country.
▶ 3:41:24It's happening in New York City. It's happening at our sporting event, our theater. There is a ripple effect throughout our entire economy because of the change in attitude that our country that once welcomed people from all over the world to visit and recreate and to live here now feels like a very hostile place to them. It is it is going to have an economic impact on our bottom line without a doubt. So, let's talk about it a little bit more.
▶ 3:41:48So, I am supposed to have a number of FIFA games in Dallas and I am fully anticipating that we are going to have a problem because I've been receiving phone calls that people don't feel safe coming here and it's not the immigrants, it's this government that is making them feel unsafe. But let me also do this because they love to cherrypick. They can find, you know, any one person that has been killed and if they've been p killed by an immigrant then god darn it, every single immigrant is going out and they are killers and that is the problem. But they don't want to talk about white supremacy.
▶ 3:42:18I don't know how many hearings we gonna have about the fact that there's been this one immigrant that killed this one person. And no, I'm not excusing any killings by them or white supremacists, but they haven't had these hearings. We didn't have a hearing on Buffalo and what 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. So, it's interesting that they pick and choose because it seems like they love to pal around with the white supremacists and so they don't want to talk about certain other things.
▶ 3:42:45But economically, I want to make sure that we're making this point again because I know that Governor Pritsker, you are the beneficiary of a lot of things from the state of Texas. And a lot of people believe that Republicans are fiscally responsible, but instead they are actually fiscally irresponsible because what he spent was a whopping $221 million transporting people from Texas to your state. Something tells me that he could have done something else with that $221 million.
▶ 3:43:16In addition to that, I know that there's been some conversations about what's going on in LA and they want to say that it's riots because they didn't want people to keep talking about, say, the Epstein files or whatever other drama was popping off between the president and his little friend. So, 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.
▶ 3:43:40If they cared about making sure we were gonna be fiscally responsible, they would tell the American people that it cost them $134 million to send the National Guard to LA for the quote unquote riots that the governor didn't ask for, nor did the mayor of LA ask for. And they sent them over there and they say that they care about our service members, yet they sent them and they were laying on the floor. They did not provide for food. So I don't know why we would believe that number one they want to fix this.
▶ 3:44:10They don't want to fix this because the brokenness 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 then why are they going to say have anybody vote for them? Because that's what people are doing. They're voting out of fear. Miss Perryman, um, we know each other a little well and I know you got a law degree and it seems like we all need law degrees in here nowadays to understand the Constitution.
▶ 3:44:39So, really briefly, I I just want to make this point. Um, there is a certain person that was afforded um, say due process. But let's say if say Donald Trump had been charged with all of these cases that he got charged with in four different jurisdictions, if he wasn't afforded due process, there could have been a possibility that he just would have been locked up and thrown somewhere, right? That would be a possibility and then maybe we wouldn't have a tariff war or anything else that we're dealing with or all the other nonsense. But the point is he was afforded due process.
▶ 3:45:09And regardless of the political opposition, Democrats, Republicans, and independents, I thought, believe that due process should be afforded to everybody, even him. Due process is for everyone. Okay? So, the fifth amendment doesn't say that it's just for the people that are Americans. It does not. It it says anybody on our soil. It's for everyone. Okay. It's it's pretty simple. I don't know why we are having issues, but I thank you and I will yield. Chair recognizes Dr. Dr.
▶ 3:45:39Gosar from Arizona. Oh, before I recognize Dr. Gosar, uh, Mr. Palmer has a unanimous consent request to enter to the record testimony before actually before the subcommittee of oversight and government reform subcommittee on federal law enforcement from Joseph M. uh Humeire who is without objection to Mr. Chair, I have a unanimous consent. Okay, Mr. leave.
▶ 3:46:05Can I uh please issue into uh to the record a statement from senators chain Kavanaaugh and Santana and Bayer uh response to the ICE um detention and deportation of Mikuel uh Bogoya Danto without objection to order. Now chair recognizes Dr. Gosar from Governors good afternoon. You have one. Would you agree that good process builds good policy builds good politics? Pretty normal, right? Would you agree, Governor Preser? Yes, sir.
▶ 3:46:35How about you, Governor? I would agree, Congress. Governor Hogal, I would agree with that. Good. Now, would you support the disclosure of federal fundings to nonprofits either directly or indirectly? Governor federal funding of nonprofits just generally there is there is actually nonprofits do report their Well, they do kind of because we don't get that. That's all blocked out. Okay. But you can't make good decisions if you don't have that. Would you agree?
▶ 3:47:06All of it is available as I understand publicly. Yes. Now I'm going to quote US Supreme Court Associate Justice Luis Brandeise. He said, "In a government of laws, existence of the government will be imperiled if it fails to upho observe and uphold the law scrupulously. Our government is that is is potent. The omnipresent teacher for good or for ill. It teaches the whole people by its example.
▶ 3:47:32If the government becomes a lawb breakaker, it invites contempt for the law. It invites every man to become a law unto himself. It invites anarchy. So do you agree with Governor Person? Do you agree with uh Luis Brandis on this quote? How about you, Dr. Wal? I do. I It's what the President Trump has done though. He is the one who has broken the law and the United States government. Governor Hokll, we follow we follow all the laws, federal and state.
▶ 3:48:02Okay. So So why would I ask you about nonprofits financing? And this quote from Luis what if I were to present you evidence that US citizens and even foreign citizens on foreign soil were coaching illegal aliens how to bypass US immigration law?
▶ 3:48:25Now, let me remind you, as soon as an alien crosses the border illegally, they become criminals under the federal law. Governors or sanctuary policies blatantly ignore the supremacy clause, as Mr. Palmer expressed, of the US Constitution, and it circumvents federal immigration laws to harbor criminals. As of July 2024, under the Biden Harris administration, there were over 660,000 illegal aliens with criminal histories in the United States.
▶ 3:48:55But I'm talking about everyone, not just these criminals. Once you violate the law by entering our country illegally, let me be clear. You're aiding abetting citizen criminal illegal aliens which is a felony under title 8 US code 1324 punishable up to 20 years in prison or life in prison or even the death penalty seems kind of weird but if this abading aiding a betting results in someone's which is committee and all Americans know has happened
▶ 3:49:25wouldn't you want to even heir on the aspect of caution I would. I really would. Now, Governor Hokll, do you consider yourself do you like nature and do you consider yourself a conservationist? I do. I am one of I'm particularly fond of New York State's great state park. So, yes, of course, I love nature. Good. So, why would you allow illegal aliens to destroy a National Park Service land at Floyd Bennett Field? Yes, I was there. I got to see it all.
▶ 3:49:55But I mean, even putting people in that in that process, I Well, I would hardly call it a park. It was a place that people used to train for military exercises, but you know what? Somebody found it as a park, right? Did they not? They're considered a national park. It's a park. Okay. Technically, it's under the Department of Interior. Okay. Governor Waltz, do you know the estimated size of a milligram of two milligrams? I think generally. Yeah. You you can barely see it's a tip of a pencil.
▶ 3:50:26Sharpened pencil at that. And that's a lethal dose of fentanyl which your running mate Harris open border policies welcomed to the United States. Similarly, your sanctuary policies are playing games with American lives. Do the millions of lives lost to fentanyl constitute an allout assault on allout assault on our broken borders? They do. Yes or no? Do you support tribal communities, Governor Waltz? Do I support tribal communities? Yeah. under PL280 or Oh, do you support? Yeah, I certainly do.
▶ 3:50:56Okay, I do. Okay. What about the transnational criminal cartels trafficking drugs and people across the tribal lands? This is epidemic. Epidemic. So, I'm going to finish up by this governors. This is my promise to you. I will work tirelessly with President Trump to secure the border, build the wall, stop the flow of fatal fentanyl into our nation, and I will see that you are held accountable for the violations of our crimes against the people of the United States. Our immigration system is not broken. We just needed somebody like Donald Trump to uphold the rules of law.
▶ 3:51:25I pray for the safety of our immigration ICE officers and all the officers. And I yield back. Gentlemen yields back. Uh Miss Crockett has a unanimous consent request. Yes, Mr. Chair. Um I'd like to submit a unanimous consent request for um this is from the Alabama Reflector. It says study says undocumented im immigrants paid almost hundred billion dollars in taxes. without objection to order. And my second one uh is from Reuters.
▶ 3:51:53White supremacists behind over 80% of extremum extremism related US murders in 2022. Without objection to order, recognize Mr. Lynch. Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. I also have a couple of uh unanimous consent requests. The first is from Lauren Crime Magazine. Uh judge rebukes department of justice explan explanation for ignoring the court order. Without objection, ordered subhead is the government again evaded its obligations.
▶ 3:52:18The judge upgrades the Trump administration's woefully and insufficient explanation for flouting his court order. The second one is uh from NBC News. Trump administration's threat to suspend core US legal right sparks outcry and alarm. Without objection to order, chair now recognizes Miss Presley from Massachusetts. Thank you uh to our Democratic governors for being here today.
▶ 3:52:47This hearing is an utter and complete waste of your time. Uh 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.
▶ 3:53:14To make matters worse, these hard-working governors had to leave their states to be here in a moment when their work is incredibly because Donald J. Trump and his accompllices and co-conspirators, who by the way, Donald Trump doesn't give a damn about your constituents, and he doesn't give a damn about you. He doesn't even respect the seat you hold in Congress as a co-equal branch of But Donald Trump and his accompllices, many of whom are in this room, are hellbent.
▶ 3:53:44What you want your legacy to be is that you're tearing food away from our babies and medical care from our 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 soul that I wish I didn't have to leave to come be here.
▶ 3:54:08Leila, who drew me this rainbow, a five-year-old who lives with a rare liver disease, had a successful liver transplant at Boston Medical Center. Thank God she is thriving uh today. But Ila will need immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of her life that are paid for by Medicaid. And without Medicaid, well, I shudder to think what might happen to Ila.
▶ 3:54:38But for sure, a family would at least go bankrupt trying to do everything to keep their baby alive. That's what these governors, that's the situation that they've been put in because you're a big ass ugly bill. And if it comes to pass and they're dealing with the fallout of this White House pulling federal grants grown men throwing temper tantrums. So again, let me be plain.
▶ 3:55:08The Trump administration is breaking the law, not these Democratic governors. Miss Perryman, how many legal challenges is the Trump administration currently facing? Um, I believe there's over 300 right now. And Miss Perryman, can you explain how litigation like this has helped to shield and defend vulnerable communities? Absolutely.
▶ 3:55:30Without our courts upholding the rule of law and upholding the rights of people, right now there could be federal funds frozen across the country that would endanger things like Head Start and Meals on Wheels and community safety programs and including community safety programs that help prosecutors and help law enforcement in states and communities across the country. The um administration has terminated over 800 million dollars in Office of Justice program grants that we are having to challenge in court.
▶ 3:55:59And the list goes on and on and on. Thank you, Miss Pman. Thank you for your good work. That's right. In case after case, the media might not want you to know, but we are winning. Trump tried to end birthright citizenship, blocked. He tried to shut down asylum, blocked. He tried to defund cities, blocked. And because we are winning in court, Republicans are trying to change the rules to rig the system.
▶ 3:56:18Tucked in the big ugly bill the Republicans voted for is a provision section 70302 titled restriction on enforcement that would restrict the judiciary from enforcing court orders and holding government officials accountable. This is an intentional and deliberate attempt to undermine the court so that the Trump administration can break the law with impunity. Republicans, Miss 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 their rights?
▶ 3:56:48It suggests that the people that voted for the bill don't want the American people protected and that they don't want them to access their courts and access the ability to protect their rights. 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 recognized Mr.
▶ 3:57:18Groman from Wisconsin. Thank you. Uh glad to see we have three governors here. I hear a lot about Illinois being from Wisconsin. And I uh just had some I think some builders in my office yesterday talking about all the Illinois people building houses in in southern Wisconsin to get out of Illinois. Uh in any event, I think uh we uh have a very generous country here.
▶ 3:57:44Uh right now um every year about 850,000 uh new citizens are um another 8 million new citizens are sworn in naturalized in this country. Uh I think we have about another 500,000 people coming in this country on work visas and five a little under that coming in on student visas.
▶ 3:58:10So, we're very generous about allowing people uh in this country. I should have said 850,000 new people sworn in. Um uh in any event, uh we really it's not impossible to get here legally. Uh nevertheless, we have a lot of people every year overstaying visas or still sneaking across the border.
▶ 3:58:33And the question I'm going to ask you guys uh and gal uh is do you believe we should have immigrations in immigration laws in this country? We'll start. I guess we'll go right down the line. Governor Walls, Congressman, the question is should we have immigration laws? Yes, that's it. Yes, we should. Governor Pritsker, they're very important. In fact, we should have more robust immigration in this country and it should be done under a law.
▶ 3:59:03And uh Miss Hokll, yes, of course we should have immigration laws. In fact, we do. The question is when people come in this country and break those laws, do you believe they should be enforced? Let's say people come in this country, you know, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Ocean, however they come here. Should they be spun around and and sent back out of the country or should we just allow them to stay here?
▶ 3:59:33It depends if they're congressman, if they're coming on an asylum claim, protected status. Exact question. Assuming they come on an asylum claim and that that claim has been rejected, should they be allowed to stay here? The judge denies their asylum claim. No, they should not. They should not be able. Governor Pritsker, if somebody's overstaying, we'll say a different way, overstaying their uh their um uh say work visas, a student visa, should they be allowed to stay here or should they be removed? Given due process, sir. Should they be removed?
▶ 4:00:03Due process is is required. Yes. Okay. Governor Hokll. Yes. Agree. Following due process, the federal government has the authority to make those removals. It has nothing to do with I'll ask you. Should should people who are here illegally get get uh welfare benefits, Mr. Governor Walls, are they at food stamps, low-inccome housing? Should they get assistance that would be here? Yes. Uh we provide for all of our people in Minnesota. It's one of the reason. Okay.
▶ 4:00:30So, so your your statement is that if somebody comes here um saying an asylum claim, whatever, they should be able to get low-inccome housing benefits, almost free free rent, free food, free healthcare. That's what you believe. I believe states rights in some states they do. Well, I know that they that that's what you believe we should do. Okay. Mr. Governor Prrisker, it's federal government's job to determine what welfare benefits at the federal level.
▶ 4:00:59And I can say uh to you that we have hundreds of thousands of people in the state of Illinois who are undocumented but have been living abiding by the law, holding down a job, paying taxes. Okay. So, are they getting are they are they do you believe it's it's right then that if they come here they should get free housing, free uh medical care, free food? It depends on the circumstances.
▶ 4:01:25I'm just explaining to you though that we have millions of people across the United States who are here and were here long before you got I know all that. I mean, the question is, you don't have a problem with them getting benefits. These benefits again, law-abiding tax pay. We're talking about people who are adding to Okay, I'll take it to be well, not if they're not working. Uh, but either way, you have no problem giving them those benefits. We provide benefits to people all across. Okay. Miss Hokll, is that the same thing with you?
▶ 4:01:53Would you believe people come here who are are uh are not citizens come here, make a silent claim, they should all be getting food, health care, housing, depending on which law you're referring to. In certain circumstances, we do provide these services, but they're not Okay. Well, to most people, your average person who's overstaying a student visa in New York, do you think they should be getting food stamps, housing, medical care?
▶ 4:02:24We provide Medicaid for individuals who are senior citizens or moms with new babies. We know when people eligible, the question is people who are who are not citizens who are overstaying a student or work visa. People are making their own way here in the state of New York. In fact, I have 400,000 open jobs. I wish you could help. You're not answering the question. I take it to mean I I I just give us more work authorizations. Let's put them to work. Let's put them to work. But you refuse to answer the question.
▶ 4:02:53If somebody is otherwise eligible for low-income housing or food stamps or medical care in New York, do you believe they should be entitled those benefits? There's not a blanket answer to that. It depends on which provision of the social services law. In some cases, it's allowed. In some cases, it's not. Okay. Thank you. Chair recognizes Miss Simon from Arizona. Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I would hope that I am also able to go over my time. I'm sorry. California.
▶ 4:03:23Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I, as uh my colleague did, I am hope I am allowed to also go over my time by approximately 45 seconds. Well, I've been very fair. You've had Mr. Frost went over a minute and a half. You I'm just I'm just asking. Thank you. I I appreciate that, sir. I just want I didn't say you could, but you can go ahead. I just want to make sure that I have the fair opportunity to also speak as an individual of this body. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, uh, Ranking Member Lynch.
▶ 4:03:52I am so honored to be here today and having this really important conversation. You know, we talked about victim advocacy in this place. Actually, I was a victim advocate. Was a 8133 in San Francisco for many years and had to sit with families who buried buried their folks and sitting literally figuring out how to mend together obituaries.
▶ 4:04:18I've worked with young people who have been victims of gun violence and literally have had to scrub blood off the streets. There is nothing that anyone can say to a family. I get it. That is grieving. We have a lot of work to do. not just here in this country, around the world to deter violence. I come from a state, the fourth largest economy in the world with the best public education, higher public education system in this country.
▶ 4:04:44In fact, at California Berkeley, we lead some of the research that are keeping folks here and your relatives alive. Those labs and that research is being attacked by this administration. But I I have a number of questions today, but this hearing has been so difficult.
▶ 4:05:07Not only was I a victim advocate for many years, working with folks who had witnessed and who had been victimized by rape, by murder. I also led the lawyers committee for civil rights of the San Francisco Bay area that was founded by JFK.
▶ 4:05:20And our asylum clinic, our asylum clinic honored, it honored the work of this country by supporting folks who came here escaping tyranny and violence to just be met by an immigration system day after day that spat in their face. I'm thankful to both members of the private bar and our community lawyers who are doing their American duty by supporting people who are leaving tyranny.
▶ 4:05:49I have actually one question. I'm concerned that we're uh deflating the conversation around public safety. It's my understanding. It's my understanding that the current administration, and this question goes to you, Miss Pamman has deducted or stopped payments of upwards of a billion dollars in local public safety funding around the country.
▶ 4:06:11With my time remaining, can you talk to us a little bit about this very hypocritical moment in time where we're uplifting public safety and yet we're taking resources away from communities, police departments, community safety leaders, and organizations that are taking guns out of kids' hands. Give us a little bit of the flavor. Talk about what money has been taken away from communities under this administration. Yes.
▶ 4:06:36Since Since January, the administration has abruptly terminated a range of funding and grants for community programs across the country, including grants under um the um Office of Justice programs, which was a obviously a law that President Reagan signed. And there's been over 800 million um grants and funding that have been abruptly terminated that we are having to litigate right now.
▶ 4:07:02They have also cut off funding for programs that help uh that help lawyers and um law enforcement become trained uh in what they're doing in communities across the country to keep people safe. And then I know that one of the colleagues mentioned terrorism and and as part of the administration's broader funding freeze, federal funding freeze that we had to block in the first weeks of this administration and that remains blocked by a federal court.
▶ 4:07:29Officials from states like Arizona and Oregon swore out declarations in court talking about the risk to counterterrorism funding that they were concerned about with respect to this administration's federal funding freeze. Those are just some examples our team is literally in court every single day. Miss Perry, would you say is it of your knowledge that police chiefs their grants have been frozen? Um yes.
▶ 4:07:54many many people in community safety programs and so taking away literally upwards of a billion dollars in local public safety funding from around the country including violence prevention and gun safety programs. Would you say this administration is making us more safe or less safe? Less safe. Any members, any other governors? Would you have any I have a few seconds?
▶ 4:08:12We have um uh programs that we work with the federal government between um uh cities uh law enforcement and federal government law enforcement that are being torn apart and you know drug task forces are gang task forces, gun task forces. This is making us less safe.
▶ 4:08:31grants for rape kits and rape investigations, the dissemblement 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. Thank you, and I yield back. Thank you, Chairman, for the extra time. Chair recognizes Mr. Perry from Pennsylvania. Thank you, Mr.
▶ 4:08:57Sad to say I'm disappointed today, but you know, uh, governors, Miss Perryman, welcome to the House of Representatives. Great to have you here and hear about your thoughts and views on things. Um, Governor Pritsker, you said, I think numerous times now, that the president broke the law. You're an attorney, right? Northwestern, that where you went to law school, Congressman? Yes, sir. So just can you cite which laws he's which law in this regard he's broken?
▶ 4:09:27Well, there have been congressionally approved appropriations that this president has cut off and we've had to go to court. That that's illegal. We've had to go to court to have it uh reinstated. It's illegal. It is. If you have to go to court, it's illegal. And it's still working its way through the courts, right? Yes. But things ruled on already. It's not illegal yet. It's your opinion. But regarding regarding when a judge when a judge rules on it, that's that's the law. Okay.
▶ 4:09:55It's the law at that moment until the next judge rules on it. Okay. Right. Cuz you and you're the attorney here. I'm not. But you're not saying he broke the law regarding the riots in in in Los Angeles right now. Or are you saying that? That hasn't been ruled upon yet. So But are you saying the answer is I believe that he did, but that is not what I'm referring to. Okay. You're not referring. No, I just told you I want to be clear about that.
▶ 4:10:19Congressional appropriation because the implication because of what this hearing is about is is that you're saying that he broke the law regarding the in in Los Angeles. And you're not saying that. I want to make that clear. You're not saying that. What he is doing is overstepping his authority. And we are going to court. Oh, he's Okay. So, okay. So, let me ask you a couple questions because I want to go through a little walk down memory lane here in history for you.
▶ 4:10:45In in 1794, George Washington mobilized the military. You familiar with the whiskey rebellion? Yes, sir. Okay. So, was Washington beyond his scope? Did he overstep? What about inciting riots on January 6th at the capital building? Sir, what? What you're asking? I'm asking. You're saying he he's breaking the law? Yes. Miss Hoken. Governor Hok, you're also an attorney. How about Abraham Lincoln 1862?
▶ 4:11:15Did he do it? The abuse of power is an overreach into the responsibility. How about Dwight Eisenhower? Did he do it when he mobilized in situations where you ruling? John Kennedy, you seriously don't want an answer from me? I won't even bother. How about Lyndon Johnson 1865 18 or 1965 and '67 and 68? Is that you're saying that's against the law? What the what the president is now do?
▶ 4:11:41Are you guys you're the attorneys here and I'm not talking to to Governor Waltz here because he's not an attorney. He called himself a knucklehead. So I'm leaving him out of this right now. Are you guys familiar with sections 251 through 255 of title 10 of the US code? the conditions under which a president may usurp the authority of a governor in activating the National Guard is under e invasion or an insurrection. I would argue that neither one of those govern I I would refer you to section 253.
▶ 4:12:12I'm not going to bore everybody with reading it for you, but you're wrong. And to accuse the president, quite honestly, that's the least that you've accused him of. Uh you've also in this room, he's been accused of being a dictator. Maybe not by you. And if you're willing to say he's not one, I we'd love to hear it. But also that the law enforcement agents are Nazis with Gustapo like tactic tactics. Governor Waltz, you mentioned that in a commencement speech.
▶ 4:12:41Now, let me ask you, I'm going to ask each three of you this um 8 CFR 28 287.7. uh it arises from the secretar's power under section 103A3 of the immigration and n nationality act the INA so do sections 236 241 287 are those things laws that should be followed and enforced are you are you okay with those things being laws and enforced or not
▶ 4:13:12for federal immigration laws are designed to be enforced by the federal government so you're okay you're okay with that is that each one of you the state cooperation. I don't know what those what you read. I don't have that in front of me. These are laws, Governor Waltz, that are on the books.
▶ 4:13:27The immigration and nationalities act and those are sections of them as is 8 USC 8 USC 1357 8 USC 1357 A4 8 USC 1357 provide copies of that for the for the witnesses. If you're going to cite a law, you should you provide copy for the witnesses typically. Out of order, Mr. These these two governor, two of these governors are attorneys, sir. I'm not. They should know this and I shouldn't.
▶ 4:13:57But I'm just asking, let's just assume that these are laws. Let's just assume I'm not lying to you that these are laws on the books right now. Are you okay with them being You might be asking us a lot. Governors don't get a deal in hypotheticals. Um, okay. So, so putting my law, these are laws. These are current laws on the books regarding immigration and We abide by all of those laws. We abide by all these laws.
▶ 4:14:26We abide by federal law. Govern state law. We follow all state and federal laws. Governor Waltz, do you abide? We abide by all. Is there any detainer? Is there any ICE detainer that you will reject that you will instruct your law enforcement community or corrections facilities and enforcement community in your states to reject any one for any reason? Legal ICE detainer under the laws that I just cited. Every jurisdiction in Minnesota follows the law.
▶ 4:14:56Every single one. And and his gentleman's time's expired, but answer the feel free to answer the question. Governor Waltz, Governor Pritz, we follow all laws, state, but you don't. That's that's my point. In Minnesota, I want you to you will cuz we hope you will, but you actually don't and you haven't, which is why we have this horic. Will you allow the witness to answer? That that'd be great. Thanks. Chair recognizes Miss Insari from Arizona. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you so much, governors, for being here.
▶ 4:15:26I 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. Mr. Perry just mocked us for referring to Donald Trump as a dictator. So, let's let's run through the list. Donald Trump has since he was inaugurated pardoned violent January 6 insurrectionists. Dictator defied Supreme Court orders and attacked the judiciary.
▶ 4:15:57Dictator unilater unilaterally abolish congressionally chartered federal agencies. Dictator attacked the free press. Sounds like a Kidnapped people off of the streets and deported them to foreign prisons without due process. Sounds like a dictator. Defunded higher education. Dictator. Threatened law firms and the legal profession. Dictator.
▶ 4:16:25This weekend he is spending tens of millions of dollars to host a massive military parade for his birthday. Is that like is this North Korea? On top of all of that, our twice impeached president with a 34count felony president who is not a king has deployed the active duty military in American cities and he has spent $134 million
▶ 4:16:56to 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. Like, this is the most dystopian, horrific episode of Black Mirror that I have ever seen. To our witnesses, the governors, thank you so much for being here today.
▶ 4:17:25I 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 extremely diverse district, one of the most diverse in the country where more than 64 languages are spoken. I can tell you that 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 our national security.
▶ 4:17:54So, I want to ask you a little bit about that. Governor Walls, can you share the ways in which immigrants contribute economically to your state? Well, thank you, Congresswoman. Well, there's no aspect in Minnesota life that they're not involved, whether it's uh uh economically and the impact that they make, whether it's involved in the arts and the culture that Minnesota is very proud of.
▶ 4:18:17um whether they're in higher professions uh medical students uh engineers and Minnesota is proud to have an immigrant uh heritage. We set on the land of the Dakota and the Anosabi and all the rest of us came through v via immigration and so the impact is uh is widespread. Uh it's intertwined. It may have been the Norwegians and the Swedes, then the Mongs and the Somali. Um, but it's the same story. Coming to America for a chance to start and then contribute to contribute to a better state.
▶ 4:18:48Thank you so much, Governor Walls. And in fact, according to the American Community Survey, immigrants paid $382 billion in federal taxes and 196.3 billion in state and local taxes.
▶ 4:19:01In 2022, undocumented immigrants, using individual tax identification numbers, paid 59.4 4 billion in federal and 13.6 billion in state and local taxes in Governor Pritsker, 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. Uh let me be clear.
▶ 4:19:31Uh the Homeman raids that occurred in the first week of the Trump administration drove people into hiding. It ruined the entire area of commerce for our Mexican-American community where people were people who were documented, people who are citizens actually had to go into hiding because they they know people that are undocumented. They didn't want to get picked up and having to talk about somebody that they know that that's undocumented. You could see it was a ghost town. It was a ghost town.
▶ 4:20:01We we've had people who are working, I'm talking about for decades, who've raised families, who are paying taxes in my state, who have had to flee. And uh these are good people. These are our neighbors. These are people that are bringing culture and art to our communities. People that should be given an opportunity if we had good immigration laws to apply to stay legally in this country and maybe to become US citizens.
▶ 4:20:26Indeed, many of them have proven themselves to be maybe more worthy than some people who are already US citizens. Let's give them an opportunity. So, I I can tell you that it's had a profoundly negative impact on my state that Donald Trump has been attacking people who are not the problem. Let's go after people. If you're talking about terrorists, and one of the congressmen mentioned that, let's go after terrorists, Joe. You know, let us know who they are. We will go arrest a terrorist any day of the week. Every day of the week. Governor Hokll, if you could also answer.
▶ 4:20:54I'm 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. My grandfather was a migrant farm worker. They are an important part of our identity, our economy. The diversity of New York is what sets us apart and makes us so fascinating and so desirable for businesses large and small. They are so critical to our our our identity and existence. And I'm really hurt.
▶ 4:21:23It hurts me as the leader of a state where people are living in fear in the shadows. People can't go to school. They can't worship. They can't go get health care. They can't go to their senior center. Um what is happening has been traumatic. It's unnecessary. We will help every day of the week to get rid of people who commit crimes that never should have come here or commit crimes here. That is my number one job. But can I recognize Mr. Timmons from South Carolina? Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Governor Hokll, the difference is is that the millions of Americans that came through Ellis Island did so legally.
▶ 4:21:53Um, I'll yield to my friend from Georgia, Miss Green. Thank you. Governor Hokll, are you a Democrat? Yes or no? I'm a proud registered Democrat. Yes. 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 manyations about how the border was being enforced and so I raised concerns. So you just stated I'll reclaim my time.
▶ 4:22:23You said you're a proud Democrat. You supported uh Joe Biden for president. Clearly you supported the Biden administration's policies. Did you swear Governor Hokll, did you swear an oath to faithfully uphold New York's constitution and laws? I certainly did. In 2017, New York became a sanctuary state when Governor Cuomo signed Executive Order 170.
▶ 4:22:46Uh, this 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 supporting helping law enforcement when it come and ICE when it comes to Thank you. I reclaim my time.
▶ 4:23:16You support sanctuary policies that have led to the horrific murder of people Americans. This Fox News got it wrong. It should say monster arrested in broad daylight. Rape of a 13-year-old in a New York park. This girl was raped at knife point in the park near New York Mets Stadium. That's your state, Governor Hokll. New York Post also got it wrong and called him a migrant. That's a monster.
▶ 4:23:45Busted in brutal beating of New York PD cops in Time Square. Are members of bloodthirsty trend Ara gangs. That's uh that's your state where you support your sanctuary state laws.
▶ 4:23:58Also, Governor Hokll, 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 that 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. I recognize you, Miss Hok.
▶ 4:24:28This is my time. Do you know the name Lake and Do you know the name Lake and Riley? Yes, I do. Oh, you do? Jose Abara murdered 22-year-old Lake and Riley. He's 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, Governor Hokll, first arrested at the border and released by the Democrats that you support.
▶ 4:24:58Then 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 him. He lived at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Queens, an upscale hotel that was turned into an illegal alien shelter at the taxpayers's expense. 2 million a month went to this hotel. He the second time he was arrested was in the state of New York for endangering a child.
▶ 4:25:28But he was released quickly before ICE could even issue a detainer because you support those laws. Governor Hokll, then he flew. Look at 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?
▶ 4:25:48because it was reticking and that was the little gift that you were giving uh my state by sending monsters there cost the state of New York 5 to10 million a day to fees feed and house illegal are you smiling at me about this you look like you got quite a smile on your face no because I can not this is my time reclaiming my time I'm thinking about don't you dare smile about the murder of Lake the third time question how I time.
▶ 4:26:18Jose, my heart is breaking for her. My time, Governor Hokll, 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 Lake Riley and murdered her. He murdered her. Let me explain something to you. Let me explain something to you.
▶ 4:26:39This little girl right here, she 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.
▶ 4:27:01This 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's what you did.
▶ 4:27:26You are responsible for the murder of this little girl, Leaken 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 support it, too. You're responsible for her murder. Ment on a point of order. On a point of order, gentle lady's time expired. State your point. Mr. Chairman, these witnesses have been here for over four hours.
▶ 4:27:54They've all voluntarily have been engaging with our members with with respect. They've all treated our members with respect. Lake Riley is dead Forever. They can sit there in my time. Hold on. No. State state your state your point. I'm trying to state your No. No. It's a point of inquiry, not a debate. Our rules. Our rules, if you would let me speak. Our rules of decorum dictate that our witnesses should be treated with respect.
▶ 4:28:23And I ask you to enforce decorum and remind committee members to treat our witnesses with respect. Our our uh members are treating the witnesses with respect. This is not a courtroom. Uh we engage with the with the witnesses and I think everybody's acting within the realm. We haven't cried and screamed when you all are criticizing the current president even though that's in the rules of breaking the law and and how they look how they look. Maybe Mr. chairman.
▶ 4:28:50If you if you win the chairmanship, if you all flip the house, you win the chairmanship, then you can you can uh do what Miss Crockett says she's going to do and if try to impeach Trump again or whatever you all you're all Mr. Chairman, is there any chance you would yield me 30 seconds to just respond that we are heartbroken what happened to her family? Lincoln Riley should be alive today. Okay. And I'm so sorry for what happened to her. I truly am what happened. But this has nothing to do with our civil enforcement of the laws. We are always cooperating with criminal investigations.
▶ 4:29:19always have, always will. So misstating our policies is not serving the purpose of making sure we have meaningful policies that will actually move the dime. Why don't we are why aren't we working together to come up with meaningful immigration reform, secure our borders, do vetting at the simp we're going to go back. Okay, governor, with all due respect, there was no the the the policy of the previous administration was an open border. It was an open border. who all supported that.
▶ 4:29:49Now you're saying we need you were saying you were No, let me Cortez, I will recognize you cuz I I actually I I like you. Thank Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate it. Here's here's the the border has was open and you all said nothing. All right. Now, you said we had to pass legislation. We didn't have to pass legislation. Donald Trump secured the border on the first day.
▶ 4:30:13Now, there's no question you all have been obstructing and criticizing and and failing to work with this administration in trying to apprehend the criminal illegals. That's 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. All the people who are over here illegally to deport the criminal illegals. So we we do it every day of the week. Order.
▶ 4:30:43I'm going to let Mr. Okasio Cortez state her point and then we're going to go to Roana. Oh, we can we can continue. I was just curious whose time it was, but we can proceed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a unanimous consent request. Okay. I'd like to seek unanimous consent to enter into the record this tweet uh just happened. Stunning. Senator Alex Padilla from California was just forcibly removed from the news conference being held by not objection to order. You just have to state the the t the title. Go ahead. This is the title, Mr. Lech. Sher recognize Mr. Lech. All right.
▶ 4:31:13Uh, Mr. Chairman, I have a unanimous consent request. Uh, this is from MSN MSN. Unquestionably in violation. Judge says US government didn't follow court orders on without objection to order. Deportation. The next one is from Rolling Stone. Uh, Trump has now deported multiple US citizens, children with cancer. Without objection to order.
▶ 4:31:36Uh this is uh New York Times LA deployments of the military to cost 134 days. And lastly, uh Secretary Hegath will not commit to obeying the court's order on Marines in without objection to order. Chair recognized Mr. Connor from California. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Governor Pritsker, I've uh admired your moral clarity uh during these times.
▶ 4:32:05You had a speech about a month and a half ago where you said you would not bend the knee uh to any president of any party. I highly recommend the American people listen to that speech in its entirety. Professor Chennowith has said at Harvard that if 3.5% of a population engage in peaceful protest, that is the single best way to bring change and stand up for constitutional values. As you know, there's the no kings protests that are happening this weekend.
▶ 4:32:35I'd like you to weigh in and 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 uh civil rights for LGBTQ people, civil rights for immigrants, etc. Um, I encourage people to peacefully protest and I have said that many times.
▶ 4:33:04I think you know getting out your microphones and your megaphones, speaking up, speaking out and very importantly for people who can vote, go to the ballot box and vote. Too many people don't don't do that. And too many people don't stand up and speak out because they're a little bit afraid. And in this environment, I have to say, President Trump has created a situation where people are are afraid. They're they're afraid and they're afraid they're going to get targeted because that is what's happening under this administration.
▶ 4:33:33People are getting individually targeted when they stand up and speak out. Thank you, Governor Waltz. I thought you conducted yourself with such dignity as our vice presidential candidate, you and Gwen, and many of your former colleagues are really proud of how you ran. Uh, and one of the things even people who voted for President Trump said about you is he's so decent. He's kind. He deals with people with respect. What What is happening in this country that we've started to demonize immigrants?
▶ 4:34:03You know, when I grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, was 99% white. I grew up as an Indian-American of Hindu faith. I never felt demonized, felt different, made to feel like I would didn't belong. And something is going on where we're we've created a permission structure for that. How do we model the kind of decency that you've exhibited so that we become a cohesive community like this country has always been? Well, Congressman, thank you for the kind words.
▶ 4:34:32I I think the people of this country expect us to do that. Look, I I think we could all agree these horrific situations that happened um that have been highlighted in here. We all hate that, but we also lift up the great success stories. And I will just tell you, Congressman, on Tuesday night at 2 a.m., Minnesota has the most closely divided legislature in the country, 101 to 100. And we passed bipartisan legislation that kept us with a balanced budget, a AAA bond rating. We invested in our schools. We invested in our roads.
▶ 4:35:00And we did it with civility. We did it with an eye to the future. And we did it, Republicans and Democrats, um, 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 given due process. So I have to tell you, uh, we have a model. It's our constitution. We have a model on how to do this and we've done it before.
▶ 4:35:25Um, and I would just encourage all of us to be part of the solution rather than just continue to demonize each other. Thank you, Governor. Governor Hokll, I appreciate you speaking out about the Marines being sent into my state. I was horrified. There's just footage today of Senator Padilla being shoved out. I don't know if people have seen it, but he went to ask Secretary Gnome a question and the police literally grabbed the senator and shoved him out of the room. You know, the Marines, I want to get back to the Marines, though.
▶ 4:35:55I mean, the the fact is that we have a principle called federalism in this country. No one in Los Angeles asked for the Marines. No one in California asked for the Marines. I mean, do people's voices not matter of what we want locally and in a state way? Tell me how you would feel if Marines were sent into your state or your senators were taken by by the fists and pushed out of rooms. What is going on in this country? Thank you for the question. It's disturbing at so many levels.
▶ 4:36:24I mean, I served as a member of the Armed Services Committee when I served in this body years ago. And to think that the Marines are being deployed against fellow citizens, fellow residents is unprecedented. Now, we have different levels of law enforcement to manage crowds. That's all this is is a crowd. When it gets out of control, when it's violent, they must be consequences. And that's what the police are trained to do.
▶ 4:36:46whether they're LA PD or what we have in New York is one of the highest organization of top law enforcement people put their lives on the line every day who know how to deal with crowds and protests 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 and chief of the national guards but to go all the way to the US military as an indication that a mayor and a governor
▶ 4:37:16can't handle what's happening in their own streets is overkill at a level that is just unconscionable. And I hope we do not see this in other cities. We need to just calm the situation down, get rid of the criminals. We'll work together every day and leave law- abiding individuals alone. Thank you. Chair recognized is Mr. Burchett from Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 4:37:42Governor Waltz, you said that as long as you are governor, immigrants will be welcome in Minnesota. Do you find a difference between an immigrant and an illegal I a difference their status. Is there a Legal status or otherwise? Well, the legal status is different, but in Minnesota, we have a long tradition of welcoming. Okay. ICE in St.
▶ 4:38:07Paul arrested a criminal illegal alien who had been convicted of for possession of child uh 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, but they need to do it within the realm of due process and the law. Wearing masks un no notice of who they are, no notice of the vans, and picking people up off the streets without that due process.
▶ 4:38:36I stand that that is wrong in a road towards authoritarianism. I I certainly stand by that. You know, I 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 that it it desensitizes people about what really went on in Nazi Germany by making any comparisons there.
▶ 4:38:57Um, does Minnesota receive federal tax dollars for any programs that assist illegal And then Minnesota's federal tax dollars are are uh appropriated by you in Congress and then we use state dollars under under our laws. During the B administration, nearly 1.5 billion was sent to sanctuary states to pay for their illegal immigration policies, housing, healthc care.
▶ 4:39:26Um Governor Hokll, are 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 work to resolve them and make sure that if there's a crime committed that people, okay, find their time in court and are incarcerated. That's how it's always worked.
▶ 4:39:50By definition or il illegal aliens are unlawfully present in the United States, they should not be in their f here in the first place to commit crimes. Don't you agree with that? It depends on the circumstances of coming over. I mean, there's civil violations. There's also criminals. So, it's the federal government's determination on the status of an individual. If they're pers if they're But I mean, if they're not here, the crime's not going to be committed. I think if there was not, if they're not going to be here, ma'am, the crime is not going to be committed. I If there was no one in our country, no crimes would be committed.
▶ 4:40:20I suppose you could say the same thing. A young man in my district whose family is very close to me lost their son to an illegal alien. And I can guarantee you if that ille illegal alien if we'd followed the laws of the land and there had been some enforcement that that young man would be here today. Well, let me ask you this. Why did your um issue the you are that say that you are welcome with open open arms in reference to illegal aliens.
▶ 4:40:49That was a direct quote attributed to you ma'am. It's a long it's 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. Okay. Governor Pritsker, 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 that was charged with raping a minor. Why would you release a criminal rapist back into your Thank you, Congressman.
▶ 4:41:18Um, first of all, we don't need to release somebody if ICE or another law enforcement authority shows up with a judicial warrant. Then that's just the fact. And if somebody gets released, it's usually because they've had due process and determined not to be eligible to be held. That's that's okay. But do you know what happened after that individual was released? I don't. But again, a judicial warrant if if appropriate.
▶ 4:41:46I'll tell you, 17 days later, he was charged with a homicide. And in Cook County, he also released a migrant charged with domestic violence in August of 2024. Do you know what this individual was tried uh was charged with one month No, sir. I'm not sure what aggravated criminal sexual assault, and abuse of minor. And as governor, you have done, have you done anything to ensure local and county governments aren't releasing illegal immigrants charged with sexual or violent crimes?
▶ 4:42:16As a matter of fact, we first of all, we chase down criminals every single day. We put them in jail. We try them, put them through due process, they get convicted, they get put into our correction system. We do that every single day. You're implying that that we're not. We are. In fact, we our law enforcement are some of the best in the country. they do their job. Well, if these laws were enforced, then I would assume these people wouldn't be back out on the streets so freely.
▶ 4:42:42Um, how many programs does Illinois have that Illinois have that explicitly supports illegal immigrants? Sir, we've created programs that to deal with not illegal. I mean, we have one program that's related to um to undocumented people who are I'm out of time. the most vulnerable.
▶ 4:43:01The answer is at least four health four health benefits for immigrants HBIS health benefit benefits for immigrants adults HBI retention of Illinois students and equity rise is the acronym for that act in the Illinois's dream fund and I'm sorry I'm out of time Mr. Chairman I yield back Mr. Men Mr. Chairman, I'd like to finish the title of the article that I was trying to read into unanimous consent. Okay. Stunning.
▶ 4:43:29Senator Alex Padilla, California, was just forcefully removed from the news conference being held by DHS Christine Gnome in Westwood. Senator attempted to interrupt the title. He was handcuffed in the hallway. Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For the record, he rushed the the podium. He was being disruptive and that is not conducive to a senator to the ground and arrest order. Chair recognize Mr. Men from California.
▶ 4:43:55Uh I just want to follow up my Republican colleagueu's comments uh since he's talking so much about sexual assault that and note that our current president was found civily liable for sexual assault. Uh I also want to note that Elon Musk and for the record just want to note that Elon Musk who was once part of this administration uh not so re long ago uh accused the president of being part of the Epstein files. So all of great interest and something perhaps we should look into some oversight on. Uh but governors, I want to ask you a few questions.
▶ 4:44:22Uh 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're 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's because there's no such thing as sanctuary from federal laws anywhere in this country.
▶ 4:44:47What is really at stake here is whether state resources, including National Guard troops, should be used for Donald Trump'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 conscripted to support ICE. This is really a question about states rights and it's being starkly illustrated right now with what's happening in Los Angeles just up the way from my district in Orange County where the Trump administration has claimed authority to deploy 4,000 troops from the California National Guard.
▶ 4:45:17I also want to note that the existence of the National Guard is rooted in the Second Amendment to the Constitution. A well- reggulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The first part of that amendment, the part my Republican colleagues always forget to quote whenever they cite the second amendment is the key part of it. A well- reggulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state with state being capitalized so that we know we're talking about the states in the United States of America.
▶ 4:45:45The second amendment guarantees the state the right to keep and maintain a well-regulated militia which is the basis for the National Guard. So, governors, I want to just try to set the record straight because straight because I think it's not clear that everyone fully understands what a National Guard unit is, uh, when and how they can and should be called up and what activities they're restricted from engaging in. I have limited time, so I'm just going to ask you to keep your answers brief so we can really unwrap how unwrap how deeply concerning President Trump's actions are.
▶ 4:46:12Governor Walls, in a sentence or two, what does the Minnesota National Guard do and how does it serve the people in the state of Minnesota? Has a dual role. I know this personally from 24 years. You can be deployed federally under title 10 with the president's authority or title 32. In Minnesota, we have used them everything from flood and tornadoes. Uh we use them to help during the COVID pandemic and they are uh they serve overseas when when called upon, but typically they report to the state governor per title 32 of the US code. Correct. That's correct.
▶ 4:46:39And in times of crisis, a governor can activate the state's national guard units to respond and assist. Uh as you noted, under title 10, uh the president sometimes has authority to deploy them. Uh, Governor Pritsker, in a few words, what under what circumstances can or should the president federalize a state's National Guard? Well, the president of the United States, and I've been in office six and a half years, has in fact deployed under Title 10 uh our National Guard to foreign lands. We have a a terrific uh encampment of National Guard, Illinois National Guard in Poland.
▶ 4:47:10We have the largest Polish American population in the country and uh and and very proudly our National Guard serve all over the world in fact as part of our military to protect our nation. And so title 10 section 124 406 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 with regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.
▶ 4:47:34Do you believe that the protests in Los Angeles or the ICE raids uh qualify for any of these particular provisions? I do not. Okay. Thank you. And you're aware that Governor Nuome did not make any request to President Trump to federalize the California National Guard. He did not. In fact, he rejected it. And so this uh is illegal. It does not comply with the the bases for deployment. It was done against the express wishes of Governor Nuomo.
▶ 4:47:57Now, I want to highlight a key point that my Republican colleagues across the aisle should keep in mind regarding the federalization process of National Guard units. Even under Title 10, these troops may not be used for law enforcement purposes. And what we are seeing right now is a total violation of that. We are seeing them used to aid uh ICE raids. Uh and I just want to note uh that ICE is uh acting largely as a civil organization at this point in time. Uh, Governor um, Hakle, uh, correct or incorrect?
▶ 4:48:26Being undocumented in the US is a civil violation, not a criminal Uh, yes or no, please. I believe most cases are civil. In some cases, the federal government can determine that it's a a criminal violation. Right. And correct or incorrect, deploying US Marines to support ICE raids constitutes a law enforcement purpose and non-national security purpose. It appeals to have crossed the line given that we have highly trained local law enforcement who are more than capable of handling those situations. Thank you. And I'll just close with this.
▶ 4:48:56There's no rebellion. There's no invasion. Law enforcement has not collapsed. There's 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 yield back. But with unanimous consent, I would ask to introduce this article into the record. uh Marines to join National Guard troops protecting ICE agents in without objection. So ordered. Thank you consent. Go ahead. Uh Mr.
▶ 4:49:23Chairman, I ask international consent to uh enter into the record this picture of Senator Padilla being uh knuckled in uh and uh looks like he's being arrested and and uh restrained by by three uh police. We'll enter the picture and that without objection to order. Chair recognizes Miss Mace from South Carolina. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Welcome to the unofficial 2028 Democrat presidential primary right here on stage at the Oversight Committee.
▶ 4:49:52Governor Nuomo must be seething 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 Walls knows the playbook. In 2020, he rolled out the red carpet for anarchists while motans watched their neighborhoods burn. You've turned your states into sanctuaries for illegals. You've done more to shield MS-13 than to protect the single mom working two jobs in Chicago, Queens, or Minneapolis.
▶ 4:50:21And you've worked harder against ICE than with them. So, Governor Walls, and boy does that feel nice to say the word governor. My first question is for you. Did you know the Nazis killed six million Jews during the It's a yes or no question. Did you know the Nazis killed six million Jews during the Holocaust? Pushing my button, Dan. Okay. Yes. I believe that's historic. Okay. Would you agree the Holocaust is the most horrific atrocity in human history? Yes or no?
▶ 4:50:50I think the Holocaust ranks amongst them. Yeah. Did you know the Nazi Gestapo imprisoned, tortured, and murdered Jews by the hundreds of thousands and committed Jewish genocide against the Jews? Did you know that? I do know they operated as secret. Did you know ICE has done none of that? Yes or no? operated as a secret police force? No, that's not that's not the question. Did you know that ICE has not committed genocide genocide against anyone? Yes, I I do know that. Okay.
▶ 4:51:18Do you apologize for your disgusting comparison of ICE to the Gestapo who killed hundreds of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust? As a history teacher, yes or no is the question. A historical comp. You're a governor. You are you understand what the question is? It's yes or no. Will you apologize for what you said about ICE comparing them to identify who they are when they operate to not use unmarked? Okay. Uh, Mr. Chairman, this governor or honorable can't answer the question. Do you believe the Nuremberg trials were a good exercise in holding the Nazis accountable?
▶ 4:51:49Yes or no? I think due process. Okay. So, 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 before due process. What don't you understand about yes or no? Like, what can't you comprehend about yes or no questions? Do you still want to abolish ICE? Do you still want to abolish ICE? Yes or no? Said I wanted to abolish ICE. Didn't you march in a rally calling for ISIS's abolishment?
▶ 4:52:18Not that I can recall, Congressman. Um, well, according to widespread media reports, you did. Um, and the media is always correct. How do you rate Kamla Harris's job as borders are? I want a number between 1 and 10. How was she as borders are? I wouldn't have a way to measure that. I was not in the administration. Weren't you her running mate for vice president as in the campaign? How great her role as borders are on a scale of 1 to 10. Was she great at 10 or was she a one? Terrible.
▶ 4:52:46I think her proposal that she put forward to make sure we had the bipartisan uh immigration. It wasn't bipartisan. Did you ever personally speak with Kamla about Joe Biden's cognitive collapse? Uh not that I can recall. Congressman, not as her running mate for vice president. You never once talked to her about the president and why she was nominated instead of him. No, not that I can recall. What kind of operation were you guys running over there?
▶ 4:53:10I was more concerned with Donald Trump's cogn he's president and JD Vance is vice president and not you. Um, have you ever served in a combat zone, Governor? I have not, Congresswoman. Okay. Are you still friends with school shooters? I have never been a friend with a school shooter. Didn't you say you were friends with school shooters on the debate stage? Oh, congresswoman. Yeah. Is bullying evidence. Is my mom was a teacher. I'm a high school dropout. We can talk about that later. Is bullying okay?
▶ 4:53:41Is bullying okay as teacher? Uh, is bullying okay? Yes or no? Is it okay to bully somebody? I think time to push back at a bully. So, yes, I do think there's a time. So, you think it's okay to bully others? I think it's okay to bully the bully at times. Well, you're showing that the Democrat party is a party of violence. Uh, were you at TN Tiana Square? Have I been to Tenement Square? I have. Were you at TNMan Square? I have been at Tiana Square. When were you there?
▶ 4:54:09Oh, as I recall, uh, January of 1990. Okay. Um, what is a woman? I what is a woman is the question. I'm I'm not sure I understand the question here. Well, that what do you what do you want me to say? This is I want you to say that a woman like me is an adult human female. That men can't become women.
▶ 4:54:37You guys are the party of violence and you're the party erasing women. You don't respect us. You're a bigot. You're a misogynist. You're a sexist. Mr. Chairman, I yield back. Congresswoman lady backio Cortez from New York. All right. Well, that was some kind of bingo going on over there. I don't know what's going on. Anyways, um Oh, I know what's going on. Uh so, thank you to the witnesses uh for coming here today.
▶ 4:55:06I apologize for the treatment that the three of you, four of you have been subjected to. Uh and Governor Walls, I just have to say, I know you're getting a lot of grief uh from the majority here, but you know, this we are talking about individuals who have cheered on in individual who issued a Nazi salute from behind the presidential seal of the United States of America, who have cheered on the pardoning
▶ 4:55:36of individuals who attacked the United States capital and flew a Nazi flag and the flag of the Confederacy, traitors to the United States, sworn enemies of the United States of America through the capital of this nation.
▶ 4:55:55And now they want to act because someone has the courage to say if it walks like a duck and it talks like a duck maybe it's a duck. So I want to thank you for not wavering to their bullying which is and sad to see. So I just wanted to let you know that. Governor, thank you.
▶ 4:56:25Thank you, Congresswoman. To the three of you, um, Governor Walls, Governor Pritsker, and Governor Hokll, you three have each sworn an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. Correct. I'll start with you. Yes. Yes, ma'am. Yes, I have. And I imagine that also includes uh the Fourth and Fifth Amendment protections for due process and the rule of law. It does. Sure does. Yes.
▶ 4:56:54And uh and that your people in your states, US citizens and every individual because that is what makes America great that we have that we are a land of the free and of rule of law to protect them from infringements of their civil liberties. Correct.
▶ 4:57:24what we are seeing is a pattern where ICE is breaking the law. We have the detention of a US citizen uh who has been detained by immigration uh officials. We have ICE here that has also blamed and arrested US citizens for being simply suspected of being an immigrant largely because of their appearance.
▶ 4:57:50In January, a Chicago based US-born citizen, Julio Noriega, was arrested by ICE and held in custody for over 10 hours. In April, a Florida Highway Patrol officer pulled over Juan Carlos Lopez Gomez, a United States 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 didn't let him go.
▶ 4:58:17In May, US citizen Leonardo Garcia Venegas was filming an ICE raid. He was arrested by ICE. In May, a veteran and US citizen uh who is Puerto Rican Puerto Rican was detained during an ICE raid at his workplace in New York City. That's called a paper bag test. your job, Governor Hokll, is to protect people from that kind of infringement.
▶ 4:58:50Yes. Because all of us must adhere to the law and no one is above it. So if a US 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 absolutely uphold the laws of the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of New York.
▶ 4:59:09And sanctuary states are about US 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 having complete compliance with their request. Correct, Governor Hokll? We comply in cases where there's been criminal activity alleged. Yes, we always do.
▶ 4:59:38But we're not involved in civil immigration enforcement because our state police that I control have to deal with other crimes that they're solving. And apologies, I just have 10 seconds left. But when they say illegal versus legal immigration, they are trying to end legal status in the United States as well. Correct, Governor Prrisker, with the end of TPS and making people undocumented by removing legal status. ending legal status and then having the audacity to call them illegal when they were here documented. Correct.
▶ 5:00:07Taking students visas away from people, taking their legal right to be in the United States away from them when they've been granted maybe 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. I want to make that very clear and I yield back. Chair now recognizes Mr. Chair unanimous consent request. Mr. Mr.
▶ 5:00:38consent request sent to the record a NBC article. Senator Alex Padilla removed from news conference with Homeland Security Secretary Gnome. All right. Without objection to order. I have another one of the Hill article. Padilla forcibly removed from Gnome press conference. Without objection to order. And I have a third one. Axios Democratic Senator forcibly removed from DHS press conference. Without objection to order. Mr. Chair, also we were just talking about this. I want to know if you can commit to working with us so we can sub. You're out of order. Chair recognizes I have a point of I have a point of order. No, I have a point of order.
▶ 5:01:08State your point. We need to subpoena. That's not a chair recognizes. We talked about Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Reclaiming my time reclaiming my time to the ground. Reclaiming my time in his own. Oh, Democrats can't follow the rules. Can't follow the rules. Can't follow the rules.
▶ 5:01:31Can't follow subpoena We recognize this federal privilege of the majority and that means we're in charge not your side. We're going to start to have our country. All right. It's my time. Will you commit on the record to work? Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. You're at order.
▶ 5:01:57Chair recogniz you commit on the record to subpoenaing Christy Gnome because a US senator was just thrown to the ground and detained in his own Democrats can't follow the rules. Can't follow the law. Shut up. Just shut up. Well, you No, you don't. No, you're not going to tell me to shut up. Let's What? How do you How do you get him in order? You're running like that. He's He's He has been out of order six times. He's trying to get on MSNBC.
▶ 5:02:23You probably knocked I get it somebody off inc because he's been arrested as a former Antifa member right he's a former Antifa member Mr. Chairman, no surprise. Who's a former Antifa member? Me. Yeah, you. I ask that these words be taken down. No, Miss Green. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Governor Governor Green is recognized. Governor stated that you're a proud Democrat.
▶ 5:02:54Proud registered Democrat. We got to suspend. There's been a parliamentary move. They said they weren't going to do that. What's ask you to strike what you said? What? Suspend for two minutes.
▶ 5:03:30And while we're suspending, we have votes in about seven minutes. We're going to try to get three more questioners in, then we'll break for I think there are four votes and we'll come back right after the last We don't have that many more questioners.
▶ 5:03:50So, see if that's the whole thing.
▶ 5:04:24Oh my god. Oh my god.
▶ 5:04:59Chair remarks that Congressman Frost was arrested at a rally but not for being a member of what was a question for So you didn't say I move to revise my remarks. Mr.
▶ 5:05:24Frost was arrested at a rally for What do I want to do? Move to revise your remarks and say Mr. for us. Mr. Chairman, I I move to uh revise my remarks.
▶ 5:05:53Uh Congressman Frost was arrested in 2021 um at a voting rights rally. Okay. Without objection. proudly. All right. Chair recognizes Miss Green. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Governor Hokll, you stated that you're a proud registered Democrat. Yes, I did. Is that illegal now, too, in your country?
▶ 5:06:22Governor Hokll, this is this is not a laughing matter. You also stated that you swore an oath to uphold the laws of New York. And one of the laws that you have upheld and and proudly kept in place is the uh executive order signed by former Governor 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
▶ 5:06:52by law. And because of your state's policies of paying for flights of illegal aliens, we ended up with Jose Abara in our state of Georgia. And um you know, I'm a I'm a mother of three children. And three two out of my three I have two daughters. And you're a mother. Is that correct? Yes, it is. Yes. And I think you've got two children. You have one daughter. Is that right?
▶ 5:07:22That is correct. And uh so 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's Allison Phillips. That's Lake and Riley's mother. And we talked about Leaken a few minutes ago. And you know there's a really special bond between mothers and daughters. And we speak with our daughters daily. We speak with our daughters all day long.
▶ 5:07:49We speak with our daughters about every single thing that's happening in our lives and every single things that happening in their lives. And I want you to know the last the last time that Leaken Riley and her mother Allison Phillips tried to talk to each other. And that happened to be in the morning when Leaken was getting ready to go out and go for her morning jog.
▶ 5:08:18And on the m on the morning of her murder at 8:55 a.m., Riley texted her mother and said, "Good morning. About to go for a run if you're free to talk." And and I can tell you that's something I do with my girls and they text me and I'm sure you and your daughter text each other as well. And but she didn't get her mother. And then Riley called her mother just a few minutes later at 9:03 a.m.
▶ 5:08:45as she was starting to listen to music, but she didn't get her mom on the phone. And the trail cam actually captured her going out for her run at 9:05 a.m. At 911 Leaken called 911. This was just not but a few minutes after she had tried to call her mother.
▶ 5:09:09And then at 9:24, Leaken received a call from her mother, but it went unanswered. And at 9:28, Leaken's heart stopped. And the according to the smartwatch, she her the data of her smartwatch, Leaken fought for her life for 17 minutes. 17 minutes. 17 minutes.
▶ 5:09:38This 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 drugg off into the woods. She fought for her life for 17 minutes. And her mom tried to call during that time. And it was only a few minutes after she had tried to call her mother.
▶ 5:10:09And I think as mothers, not politicians, this is something that we should easily share with Allison Phillips. So when we are talking about the laws in place and the policies that we uphold as elected leaders in this country, do you know who we should be thinking about?
▶ 5:10:33We should be thinking about our daughters and the fact that look, everybody can fight all day long, Democrat, Republican. I got to tell you though, it's so much [ __ ] when it comes down to the fact that this little girl fought for 17 minutes of the end of her 22year-old life. The end of her 22year-old life.
▶ 5:11:01And Governor Hokll, for the love of God, as you are a proud registered Democrat, I don't 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. And I just I can't comprehend it. Mr. Chairman, just one more second.
▶ 5:11:31Lake and Riley and her mother deserve to have one last chat. Like, you know what? Me and you get to have chats with our daughters. Mr. Chairman, I yield. Yield back. Uh, they've called votes. We're going to try to get two more questions in. I'll recognize Mr. Davis from Illinois and then Miss Luna. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I thank you and the ranking member for letting me wave on to this hearing.
▶ 5:11:56He's given I want to thank all of the witnesses, all of the governors who've been here and who've been here all day. But I also want to thank you, Governor Pritzer, for the outstanding leadership you have provided to the state of Illinois. Our state is characterized as being progressive and humane. Could you share why we think that's important? you as governor and I as a citizen resident.
▶ 5:12:28Well, we had to do a lot of reform of our state government in order to get there. But, um, it's important to me that we provide health care, that we provide education for all of our people, that we have a a policies and a government that take care of particularly those who are most vulnerable in our society, including working families, including the middle class. And and it's very important to me that we be known for that.
▶ 5:12:52We are a state that is um frankly uh cares a great deal about our fellow man. We are a state that is humanitarian in so many ways um and that stands up for the law. And so I'm I'm very proud of our state. We have the greatest state in the country uh the land of Lincoln. And we say that proudly because we know that Lincoln would be a Democrat today if he were alive.
▶ 5:13:16Uh I'm a big big believer in taking his values and promoting those as well as the values now of today's Illinois uh and promoting those and we've done that and and frankly succeeded in so many ways to lift people up. Thank you. Well, thank you. We're proud of you and your leadership and I yield back. Mr. Will the gentleman yield? Gentleman yields back. Chair recognizes Miss Luna. Mr. Chairman point, did you skip me in in the order on purpose? Just curious. It must have been an oversight, Mr. Mos.
▶ 5:13:45Well, this is the over recognizes there's lots of oversight. Gentlemen, gentlemen, please. Chair recognizes Miss Luna. I just, you know, suppressing free speech. It's Miss Luna. Thank you very much, Chairman. Um, first and foremost, I would like to take this opportunity to educate the American people on what's really happening right now with these riots.
▶ 5:14:05So, I see right now there's a lot of back and forth and fingerpointing, but the fact is is that there is a financial tie to these riots tied to immigration that actually leads right back to the Communist Chinese Party. Uh, straight up the LA riots have been organized by organization uh dubbed PSL, the party for socialism and liberation, funded by billionaire Chinese activist Neville Singham, who spends part of his year by living in Shanghai.
▶ 5:14:31In addition to that, although he is not a registered foreign agent, he accepts a lot of money from the CCP and then turns around and fun it right into some of these violent protests that we're seeing. Uh, but it doesn't just stop there. This is not the only organized protest that's using brown people and immigrants as a ruse to push it their communist and Marxist agenda. Um, Mr. Waltz, thank you for coming in today to testify. Mr. walls.
▶ 5:14:57Um, real quick, is it true, yes or no, that you are speaking at the June 14th Twin Cities No King Rally? I I can't confirm that right now. That could be true. Okay. Um, just so you know, they're advertising you speaking there. The graphic's actually on X right now. I'd be happy to provide it for you. So, I'll take that as probably speaking. Um, is it true also, I know on your campaign that you had admitted to visiting China anywhere from 15 to 30 times, sir? Yes or no, please.
▶ 5:15:27I I I did live in China and No, no, visiting, sir. In addition to living there and in addition to having Okay. Correct. All right. Um, also too, I'd like to note that during your time in Congress that you filed for a $5 million earmark that actually was secured. 2 million of it went to the Harmell Institute that actually collaborated with the Wuhan Institute. Um, also the Department of Homeland Security, sir, just to you so that you're tracking, actually had an internal memo that was released that stated that the government of China considered you a prime target for influence operations.
▶ 5:15:57I'm letting you know that now because I do believe that you should be made aware of if you are not already that you are working with and going to be speaking at an organization and rally that not is just funded by Christy Walton the AIS of Walmart but also has ties to the Chinese Progressive Association largely funding it that actually brags on their website that they are pro- Mauist um also too funded by the National Endowment for Democracy.
▶ 5:16:21I know there's a lot of people on this committee that don't like billionaires interfering in politics, but say nothing when George Soros gets over $260 million from USAD through the last administration that's then funneled into some of these nonprofits and organizations. So, I guess my question for you guys is now that I've made you aware that these riots are not about illegals and they're not about immigrants. If they did, they would have been protesting under Barack Obama, who's also dubbed the deorter-in-chief. And frankly, I think many of you would say that Barack Obama was a good president. Are you going to say that Barack Obama wasn't a good president? Yes or no? Governor Waltz, do you think he was a good president?
▶ 5:16:53Do I think Barack Obama was the correct president? I think he did a good job. Okay. How about you, Governor Pritsker? I think he did a good job. Hochel Hokll. And yes, he did do a good job. Okay. Next, Perryman. I think President Obama did a good job. So then you would understand that Barack Obama had the very same policies for the most part on immigration that Republicans are paritting today. And yet you guys are sitting here saying that we're gestapo.
▶ 5:17:16And what I would tell you is that what happens with open borders is that the real people that are coming here, the ones that are exploited, actually it hurts people on both sides, not just Americans, but the illegals. Some of you had said here to the to the actual committee that you are doing what you can to assist these people. But what I would say is that your policies aren't actually done from a place of understanding and and and sympathy. I would say that it's actually doing the exact opposite.
▶ 5:17:37And when you use brown people, just like they use black people with BLM and Marxists during BLM to usher that in, when you use brown people and you put Mexican flags with them saying that you stand up for illegal immigrants, but you follow the money and it's going back to the Communist Party, what you're essentially doing is using your platform as elected officials, the trust the American people have put in you essentially to usher in communism. You're not actually fighting for American values. Don't roll your eyes because it's a serious topic and that's where the money's coming from. So now I'm informing you. So now you guys can make your decisions, but please be informed, sir. Mr.
▶ 5:18:07Walls, that if you truly do uphold the American ideologies and perspectives on the Constitution, you should not be speaking at that rally. I've given you the correct information and as of right now, I've authorized a letter to be sent to my office to the president of the United States to rescend millions of dollars in funding that we know are going to the no kings protests that were authorized and basically given under the last administration. That is what Congress is supposed to do. Not point fingers, not blame people, but actually ensure that the American people are protected and not fighting for foreign interests, foreign governments, and also the communist. Will the gentle lady yield for a question?
▶ 5:18:36No, you don't want to tell us what your evidence is of all this connection. Actually, no. I I will I will yield. I appreciate your comment. You'll get last minute your word for it. Questionate. We might want actual evidence. I would be happy to provide that and I'd also be happy to inform chairman that actually we have a letter of which you can sign on to. I know you like to sign on to letters with us especially on the Epstein stuff. Um but we actually have a letter going out to Neville Singham on Friday and it's actually signed by every single member of oversight.
▶ 5:19:04But I'd like to extend that to you because that le letter is calling him to testify and it's also calling for his financial transactions. And do you agree, sir, that we should not be accepting money from the communist Chinese party? I think anyone on this platform would agree that that should not be accepted. Correct. I I I would like for you to actually present rather than just quote inform the witnesses. And now that they're informed, look, I don't disrespect you. I'm going to answer your question.
▶ 5:19:30We are having a hearing on it where we can No, but let let let's have this dial. Go ahead. You're recognized, Miss Lena. We are going to be having a hearing and you can gabble on to the hearing. I'd appreciate you to do it because the fact is that the Democrat party, remember, is it going to be as good as the Biden impeachment hearing? Gman, you'll have five minutes in a moment. Focus real quick. Well, Mr. Chairman, she's out of time. I just trying not to let me talk. Guys, if you guys want to talk about it, I'll answer the question. But Mr. Singham is also funding Code Pink through his wife. You know, it's my Can we ask Elon?
▶ 5:20:02The ladies time's expired. The ladies times expired. We'll be having the hearing. Y'all are invited. We might have you guys back. Thank you. Before we go to votes, which have been called, I'm going to recognize Mr. Donald's for unanimous consent. Uh, Mr. Chairman, I want to submit a letter into the record from uh, Congressman Richie Torres to Governor Hokll speaking specifically about that the Penn Station Center is actually being led by MTA where the chairman is uh, actually appointed by the governor of New York and the cost overruns are $7 billion.
▶ 5:20:31without objection. So ordered. Uh and and again, uh the witnesses, I apologize. The votes were supposed to be at 4:00 when we scheduled this. They've been moved to three. Uh we have four or five votes. We'll we'll come back here as soon as uh as the votes are the last vote. So pursuant to the previous order, the committee will recess for floor votes. The committee will return five minutes after the last vote. There are only seven or eight more questioners. So the committee stands in recess.
▶ 5:56:12Shocking video showing the moment ICE agents smashed a car window and forcibly removed a man in New Bedford. 29year-old Juan Francisco Menddees has no criminal record and was Definitely a chaotic scene on Eureka.
▶ 6:32:01the chair recognizes and and I appreciate the witness's indulgence here. Again, we we were told the votes would be at at 4:15 and they were at 3:00. So, I apologize. We had two more votes than we were supposed to. So, uh the chair recognizes Mr. Berles from from Missouri. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm um I'm just still kind of trying to understand the connection between our ICE officers and the Gestapo.
▶ 6:32:30Um I think the statement was um horrific. Um the ICE the acting ICE director had this to say. On the final day of National Police Week, when those brave enough to put on a badge and a uniform to mourn their fallen brothers and sisters, Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz referred to my professional, hardworking ICE agents and officers as a modern-day Gestapo. This is abhorrent, dehumanizing, and ignorant comments should not be tolerated. It seems that Mr.
▶ 6:33:00Waltz prefers violent criminal aliens are released into Minnesota's communities. If the governor doesn't like the laws, he's free to advocate that Congress change them. But he should refrain from putting ICE officers in danger by likening them to one of the most appalling groups in history. Assaults on against ICE officers are are up over 400% from this time last period. And part of that is because politicians like Governor Waltz are careless with their politically motivated rhetoric.
▶ 6:33:31He should issue an immediate apology to the men and women protecting his communities. Um, Governor Hokll, do you agree with the statements that Governor Walt said? Do you agree with the characterization that ICE agents are are gestapo? I don't use language like that in describing anyone. My view is that we respect our law enforcement, but also in a case where far they should be called out. Do you agree with that association associating ICE officers with Gestapo?
▶ 6:33:59It's not a word I would use, but I will say that I understand the sentiments that people feel. Okay. Well, thank you for being reasonable here. Um, next door, Governor Waltz, is a group called They were actually meeting here today, the Zionist Organization of America, and I spoke with Morton Klene, who is their their national president, and he he had this to say. He wanted me to read this to you.
▶ 6:34:22As a child of Holocaust survivors who lost almost my whole family to Gestapo Nazis, I find Governor Waltz comparing Americans to ICE officials to Nazis a dramatic insult. Waltz should be ashamed of himself, and I demand that he retract and apologize for this ugly, phony statement that diminishes the horror of the Holocaust. So, I I'm going to give you another chance.
▶ 6:34:47Governor Waltz, do you apologize for your for your associating your comparison to ICE agents as Gestapo? Thank you, Mr. Berles. Um, what I said is using a historical reference on watching in my state and across this on Waltz. It's a simple question. It's some do you will you apologize to the to this this Jewish community? Will you apologize to Jewish Americans?
▶ 6:35:16I don't know, Mr. Klein. I would certainly be uh glad to speak with him if he would. Mr. Waltz, let me ask you this question. You are are are there any events that you are regret from actions of illegal immigrants in your state? Are there any any events that come to mind that you think of that that weigh on you? I certainly think any uh something that harms someone all of So, let me give you an idea. Minnesota, your state.
▶ 6:35:45April 25th, ICE arrested an illegal alien from Ecuador charged for criminal sexual conduct with a child. Again, in Minnesota in May 8th, ICE arrests an illegal alien from Mexico for selling heroin, meth, and fentanyl. Mr. Mr. Pritsker, in Chicago in 2018, an illegal alien from Mexico is charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a minor, then was released back into the public in 2022.
▶ 6:36:13And then Governor Hokll in New York, again, a Mexican national, was charged, but this time for slashing a victim with a machete and then released in January of this year. All or ignoring ICE detainers and federal warrant. Mr. Waltz, do you would you deport any of these individuals?
▶ 6:36:36Could you give the names of the individuals and what their I can get those to you, but if these are true, if somebody from Ecuador was charged with sexual criminal sexual conduct with a child, would you want that person deported? If they followed through due process and were found guilty, certainly that's what we do now. We follow we follow federal law. You know, your states um refuse to honor ICE detainers, even for illegal aliens convicted of serious crimes like assault or sexual offenses.
▶ 6:37:02The ICE data shows 56.7 illegal aliens booked for serious offenses in 2025 alone, including over 3,000 for sex crimes. And that's why we're here today. Um thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back. Gentleman yields back. Chair now recognizes uh Mr. Crane from Arizona. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 6:37:28Governor uh Waltz, you stated in your opening statement the following, but nothing Minnesota has done stands in the way of federal government managing its border security policy. Okay, governor, I want to ask you, why are you lying to this committee? I am not. Who's the top law enforcement officer in the state of Minnesota? The top law enforcement officer, attorney general. Yeah, that's right. What's What's his name? What's his name? Are you asking me? Do you know his name?
▶ 6:37:58Do you know his name? Do you know his name? I I know the I know the AG AG Ellison. This is an article right here I'd like to submit for the record. Minnesota AG says will not enforce federal immigration laws as DOJ threatens to prosecute officials who resist. Without objection, it's ordered. Why are you lying to this committee? That is the top law enforcement officer in your state who's saying he will not comply with the federal government.
▶ 6:38:20Nothing in his opinion changes the fact that state law requires all state and county officials to ask for immigration status when a convicted felon No, I'm sorry, Governor. He is he is saying he will not comply with federal laws. That's the top line. You're lying and misre misrepresenting yourself to this committee. Now, I want to ask you this.
▶ 6:38:42Do you think in in that line of questioning, free health care, food assistance, free college tuition, driver's licenses, and cash assistance, do you think that that's helping or hurting this government manage its border security and policies? Well, Minnesota ranks first in healthcare. We rank third in Let me answer that for you. It's actually hurting because what safer created a state that is now a magnet that is there is no sanctuary.
▶ 6:39:11I know you guys haven't put it that way on the books, but your state has everything, every element in it that is consistent with the sanctuary state. Moving on, Mr. Walsh, how about you calling ICE agents modern-day Gustapo? That also stands. Do you think that that helps our government, our federal government carry out its law enforcement? I think best practice law enforcement by identifying who you are, identifying the vehicles, and making sure everyone has due process helps our law enforcement. I think covering your faces.
▶ 6:39:39So you think that that you think that that helps calling our law enforcement agents that what does I stand for governor? Immigration Custom Enforcement, right? These are the guys that are tasked with enforcing immigration, federal immigration, federal. That's their job. It's not You think that calling them Gustapo is helping? You're not standing in the way. None of the messaging, none of the rhetoric is standing in the way of this administration doing what they've been tasked to do. Is that what you're saying?
▶ 6:40:04I think what 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 Walls, and you said, "How high is this wall? If it's 25 ft, then I'll invest in a 30ft ladder factory." Do you think that that helps our federal government carry out its law enforcement, its border security and policy operations? When when did I say that? You you went on Anderson Cooper and said that.
▶ 6:40:34I do you not remember saying that? I because you've said so many outlandish things that you can't even keep track of them. The point being is the clip is there for everybody. It's there for all Americans. If you guys want to go watch it, it's an easy Google. All right. Um, Governor, you recently went on Gavin Newsome's podcast. You stated in regards to MAGA voters, I scare them a little bit, which is why they spend so much time on me. No, I'm serious because they know I can fix a truck. That's what you That's your direct quote.
▶ 6:41:02You also said on the show, I think I could kick most of their asses. I want to be very clear with you, Governor. You do scare us a bit, but it's not because you can fix a 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 of Americans of their Second Amendment rights. You're pro- sanctuary city, as we have uncovered here today.
▶ 6:41:29You 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's not because we're crazy MAGA people. It's because of your radical left-wing agenda. I want to ask you on that last one where you claim there's no guarantee to free speech. Did you pick that up on one of your 30 trips to communist China, Governor? That sounds a lot like something that they would do. Yes or no? I'm sorry.
▶ 6:41:58I I don't believe hate speech has a place in there. Hate speech that incites violence. Governor Walch, you said that Camala Hara picked you for vice president to code talk to white guys. How did that work out for this administration? How well did you do with white guys? Uh, I don't have the You lost by 22 points to white guys. And it's because you talk like the way you do, you say the things you do, and you have this radical left-wing ideology. So, if you want to continue that rhetoric, go on, brother. Keep doing it.
▶ 6:42:27We'll keep destroying you in elections. I back. 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 Pritsker uh from our great state of Illinois and thank him for coming before the committee, especially given the deeply unserious nature of this hearing. I want to start by asking Governor Pritsker a few questions.
▶ 6:42:53Governor, you have said that actions that bring all branches of government to stand in respect of one another underpin the guardrails of democracy. Is it your assessment that this administration's actions reflect the commitment to stand in respect of all branches of government or honor the guardrails of our democracy? Thank you very much, Congresswoman. It's good to see you. Um, this administration has ignored court orders. This administration has ignored the laws that have been passed by the Congress.
▶ 6:43:24Uh 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 uh that they believe are opponents of theirs, political opponents of theirs. That is not the way that a president ought to operate. We we ought have to have a president who follows the rule of law and doesn't break it. Thank you, Governor.
▶ 6:43:54I I agree with you. In your 2025 budget address, you noted that our state, the state of Illinois, is among the best in the nation for workforce talent, clean energy, educational and scientific institutions, and more. I couldn't agree with you more. Our economy is over $1.1 trillion, the fifth largest in the US, and the 18th largest in the world.
▶ 6:44:18And 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. So, I just want to make sure I put that to the record. This is who we're putting here at a hearing. Governor, earlier this year, you noted that the authoritarian playbook is laid bare here. They point to a group of people who don't look like you, and then they tell you to blame them for your problems.
▶ 6:44:46Governor Pritsker, do you believe that the Trump administration is using the authoritarian playbook, particularly as it relates to immigrant communities across the country? It's clear when you look at every action that they've taken with regard to immigration since they've taken office, including going in and and attacking our communities in the state of Illinois. I think in the first week in office, Tom Hman bringing Dr.
▶ 6:45:11Phil with him unseriously and then bringing the very serious uh ICE officials in to break down doors to scare communities to uh keep people from going to work and so on. Um it is clear that they are targeting communities of people who don't look like them and going after people that they think are opponents of theirs or including United States senators governor including Thank you and Alex Padilla and by the way I want to say to all of you all of you on
▶ 6:45:41both sides uh but particularly those on the Republican side that I I cannot believe the disrespect that was shown to a United States senator uh who was thrown down handcuffed uh and not allowed to ask a question of our Secretary of Homeland Security, Christy Gnome. That seems completely irrational. Governor, I agree with you and and because I have a limited time, I actually want to show the footage because I think what you're saying has to be seen here.
▶ 6:46:08I'm going to ask now that we play a clip of Senator Padia being wrongfully arrested while we're in this hearing. Go ahead and play it. a United States senator. I want to make sure that my hands go behind my back. All right, cool. One hand. Lay lay flat. Lay flat. Other hand. Turn. Other hand.
▶ 6:46:39There's no recording allowed out here. But I do not There's no recording allowed out here per FBI, right? They don't want you recording so that you don't see how they violate due process repeatedly. I want to make sure that you see that footage.
▶ 6:46:54This is a United States senator asking a question of Secretary Gnome and in return he is pulled from the press conference, shoved down to the floor, slammed to the ground with handcuffs, arrested for doing his job of oversight.
▶ 6:47:13So, 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 US citizens to exert control and suppress the scent. I call that authoritarianism. We've seen it before. Here's the point. Terror. That's what they're doing here. This hearing is a witch hunt against the governors that run successful cities. And we need to call it what it is.
▶ 6:47:40What we need here right now is Secretary Gnome answering questions and oversight on why the House thinks that what happened to the senator is acceptable. With that, I yield back. Gentle lady yields back. Hopefully, you'll get to see the beginning of that tape when he approached the the podium where the secretary was. You had to ask a question. M Mr.
▶ 6:48:02Chairman, uh, on the full statement of the committee on the Democratic side, 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. He was in the uh, Wilshshire Federal Building to receive a briefing with General Guo and was listening to Secretary Nolm's press conference.
▶ 6:48:25He tried to ask the secretary a question and was forcibly removed by federal agents, forced to the ground as you saw and handcuffed. He is not currently detained and we are working to get additional information. And while we respect the Senate's ability to to review this as a primary investigation, we we also uh echo uh Mr.
▶ 6:48:49Ramirez's statement that we would like to have an investigation of that incident here from from beginning to end. You want to enter that into the record? I do. All right. Without objection. So ordered. Now chair recognizes uh Mr. Mr. Mi Mr. Jackman. Okay. Wait a minute. We did two Republicans, so we're going to go to Mr. Goldman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 6:49:18I would urge you to reserve comment on what happened to Mr. Padilla uh until you get full information. And in fact, I would 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 to Christy Gnome because anyone with two eyes that can see can see that that was lawless behavior that no
▶ 6:49:48person in America, much less a senator conducting constitutional oversight, should have received. D. And I know it's hard for all of you to speak up against Donald Trump. And that's why we're here at this hearing talking all about Joe Biden, talking all about Joe Biden's policy, this, Joe Biden's policy that, all these people who uh committed crimes under Joe Biden. Is it just because you're consistently trying to ignore the fact that Joe Biden is not president?
▶ 6:50:19Donald Trump is president. And what he's doing right now, which you all know, is he is going after people who are lawfully Now, I appreciate the governors being here. I'm sorry you have to deal with this crap.
▶ 6:50:38Governor Hokll, especially, I I want you to know as a a proud member of the delegation of your state, I I am not going to use my five minutes to mount a campaign for governor against you. as uh my colleague from the north country chose to do.
▶ 6:50:54Um I will give you the opportunity to actually answer some questions unlike she did and uh 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. First of all, glad you're not running against me. Thank you.
▶ 6:51:19Uh secondly, I 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 a haven for criminals. We devote an enormous amount of our energy working to keep New Yorkers safe. $2.5 billion dollars I've allocated just in the last few years.
▶ 6:51:44We do cooperate with ICE 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 ICE as to when 30 days in advance of when they're to be removed and we send them away. That's how it's supposed to work.
▶ 6:52:07But what we do not do under our laws is divert our essential resources to protect everyday New Yorkers from crimes themselves and have that help ICE with civil immigration enforcement. That is their job. That is a federal government's job. And we cannot be told to enforce federal laws. It's not constitution or to use all your limited resources to spend all that time doing their job.
▶ 6:52:33My concern is that every minute that ICE officers are going after moms and dads and kids and separating families, perhaps one more criminal is still out there at large. Why don't you focus on that? Sorry to interrupt you because I I actually in my district office down in lower Manhattan witnessed ICE officers uh waiting for immigrants to come out of a courtroom. These are immigrants who have asylum applications.
▶ 6:53:01And I I'm sure you agree with me that asylum is a lawful pathway to immigrate to this country. Is that correct? That is absolutely correct. So in order to make these immigrants here unlawfully, the DHS is now dismissing their cases, their own removal proceedings against them to void out the asylum proc the asylum claim.
▶ 6:53:24That way when they go downstairs in the elevator, there are ICE agents that can be there and they're and to arrest them and put them in expedited removal and they don't have an asylum claim that is live anymore because they've just voided it out. These are noncriminal. These are nonviolent immigrants who are here going through lawful process. And this is who the Trump administration is going after every single day.
▶ 6:53:56It's a disgrace. You said you were going to go after the worst of the worst. You were going to go after convicted criminals. You're here questioning about all these You're going after people who actually are going through the lawful process you say they should. But just because Donald Trump and Steven Miller need to bump up their numbers because they can't do a good enough job in actually finding convicted criminals. You're going after moms, dads, separating parents from children.
▶ 6:54:27You have a voice, Republicans. Speak up. I yield back. Now chair recognizes Mr. Is he here? Okay. Uh Mr. Magguire from Virginia. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is a yes or no question, hopefully fast because I don't have much time. So, each witness one at a time. If you break the law, are you a criminal? Can you guys answer that quickly? We don't have much time.
▶ 6:54:56In certain circumstances, many circumstances. Yes. If you come across our border illegally, breaking our law to come across, are you a criminal? Yes. If you speed, are you a criminal? Break the law. That's a crime. Okay. Okay. So, if you come across our border illegal, you're a criminal. Just want to see if we can get that straight. All right. Governor Pritsker, are illegal aliens counted in the US Census? Every person in the United States is counted. The census decides how many members each state gets in the US House of Representatives.
▶ 6:55:24Year after year, tens of thousand US citizens are fleeing the state of Illinois. It ranks only behind Governor Hokll's New York and Governor Nuomo's California. You all are protecting and harboring illegal aliens for political purposes. Governor Pritska, would you support prohibiting illegal aliens from being counted in the census? Yes or no? Your numbers are wrong, sir. Would you? Yes or no? Your numbers are wrong, sir. Constitution. Would you support prohibiting illegal aliens from being counted in the census? Would you?
▶ 6:55:55Those harbor illegal aliens part of the strategy to get more Democrats in Congress. The bottom line is this. All illegal aliens have committed a crime and should be deported. Any additional act of violence committed by an illegal alien is entirely preventable. All sanctuary judici jurisdictions are unlawful. Each of you are breaking the law. And my message to you or the message from the people is you need to get it straight.
▶ 6:56:20Uh Governor Waltz, just over three weeks ago, you compared ICE agents to uh Donald Trump's modern-day Gestapo. Governor, do you regret those I regret that law enforcement is not following best practices, showing who they are, not taking people off the street, not giving due process. We would not have a country without our men and women in law enforcement.
▶ 6:56:44Yesterday officers are fac Did you know ICE officers are facing 413% increase in assaults? Don't wear the masks, identify yourself, and work with local law enforcement. You guys are doxing them. All right. Your your attacks on ICE officers are putting our law enforcements in deadly situations. It led to destructive riots breaking out in Los Angeles last weekend.
▶ 6:57:10President Trump had no choice but to step up and stop Los Angeles from burning buildings to the ground. Did you see videos of riers throwing rocks through the windows of police officers vehicles while they were driving on the highway? Did you guys see that? We wouldn't again, we wouldn't have a country without our men and women in law enforcement. In 2023, you signed legislation to expand eligibility to illegal aliens for taxpayer funded health care, Minnesota driver's license, and free college tuition.
▶ 6:57:40America last policies. Let's take a look at some of the illegal aliens you so boldly uh want to support with taxpayer funds. I'll probably say his name wrong, but Abra Hashad Alimi, illegal alien from Somalia. criminal history includes convictions of murder, DUI, and disorderly conduct. Eric Martinez Mandrean, illegal alien from Mexico and known uh member of uh 18th Street gang.
▶ 6:58:05He served time in robbery and position of a firearm and Marco Granda, illegal alien from Ecuador. He was convicted for criminal sexual conduct of a child. The taxpayer funded incentives you are providing in Minnesota bring in vicious thugs who are robbing, raping and killing your citizens. The American people are tired of these America last Marxist policies. We need more patriotism.
▶ 6:58:30You know, when I look at a MAGA, to me it means make America great again for all Americans, regardless of party, race, religion, or creed. America first. And that's 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 of the world.
▶ 6:58:52But if we can't take care of our country, if we're allowing these illegal criminal aliens to rob, rape, and kill the American people, that is wrong. And that's why we want and if you guys keep that up, we'll keep winning. Congressman, can I respond to the two cases in Minnesota? I think it's important to the hearing we're having, you want to know what we're doing. Mr. Alami was held in Freeborn County Jesina Kwam fell asleep on a subway in New York.
▶ 6:59:18While she was asleep on a train, she was set on fire and killed by an illegal alien from Guatemala. This could have been prevented. And what upsets me or strikes me the most is that in Democrat-run cities, people are so desensicized by the violence and the policies that people just stood by and watched that happen. What can we do The entire situation sickens me to know that that happened in our state.
▶ 6:59:45I abhore all crimes and that one was particularly heinous and that's why my law enforcement are dedicated to keeping the streets, subways, and communities of our state safe. It's my number one priority. It's how I've invested enormous amounts of resources. And just for the record, we do cooperate in identification, prosecution, and removal of individuals who commit crimes who are not in this country legally. We want them deported. We cooperate with ICE every day of the week to make our streets safer.
▶ 7:00:16I'm not sure why that's not breaking through in this hearing. How many times can we say that we're not supporting this? We don't want these individuals here. We abhore this violence and crime. So, that's the message should be the takeaway. How can we work together? How can you do your job and help us secure the border and have more legal pathways for people want to be legal here legally and contribute to our economy but not the criminals? We are not a sanctuary for any criminals. You go back. Gentleman times expired.
▶ 7:00:45Now chair recognized Miss Morrison from Minnesota. Thank you Mr. Chairman. I want to thank the witnesses for being here today especially you Governor Walls. It's great to see you as ever. Welcome back to the people's house. Thank you for your distinguished service in the National Guard, 24 years, I believe. Thank you for your service here in Congress and as our governor. I'm sorry you haven't received the warmest welcome here today. Um, but I'd like to start by taking a moment to correct the record on a few points.
▶ 7:01:13I think all of us here would agree that violent criminals who aren't citizens shouldn't be in this country. Full stop. But that's not what this hearing is about. This hearing is about intimidation and striking fear in immigrant communities. This hearing, unfortunately, is not about moving forward with the comprehensive immigration reform our country so desperately needs. It's 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.
▶ 7:01:42Much like our state, my congressional district is diverse. I represent many immigrant families who call our community 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 were so excited and proud to join our great American project. The room was full of hope and patriotism.
▶ 7:02:11I 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 colleagues 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.
▶ 7:02:41And I am so proud of what we accomplished during that time. We delivered for the people of Minnesota the largest middle class tax cut in the history of our state. Historic investments in education, created a paid family and medical leave programs that allows working parents to care for their children and their loved ones, codifying the right to comprehensive reproductive health care, and providing school breakfast and lunches for K through2 students so no child in Minnesota goes hungry.
▶ 7:03:09If we want to talk about protecting our children and families, let's talk about the chaotic tariff war President Trump started, which is serving only to make life less affordable for families and is decimating small businesses. Let's talk about the 16 million people who are going to lose their health care or going to have their healthcare taken away from them by the Republicans and their ridiculously named big beautiful bill.
▶ 7:03:34Let's talk about the millions of children who will go hungry if the Republicans are successful in taking away their food assistance. Governor Wall, since my Republican colleagues want to talk about threats to our children and families, let's talk about food insecurity. It's 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? Yeah, well, thank you, Congresswoman, and we uh we miss you in Minnesota, but but glad you're here.
▶ 7:04:03Um well, the direct impact to families is is a savings of about $1,700 a year to those families that they're able to see and mostly middle class, but the real impact is on educational achievement. Um last year, Minnesota was able to uh to notch the highest graduation rates in our state history. We also see school attendance rates go up. We see better behaviors, less uh less discipline from it. So, it's a smart investment. It's the right thing to do.
▶ 7:04:28And the payoff for Minnesota is we have a healthier, better educated workforce, which is why Minnesota almost always ranks near the top in quality of life indicators. Thank you, Governor. Now, I want to talk more about the Republican plan to take food assistance away from our children and families. If their budget becomes law, it will be the biggest cut to SNAP in history and jeopardize food assistance for millions of families across the country, including a 100,000 motans, many of whom are children.
▶ 7:04:55Would you agree that the Republican proposal to cut SNAP is one of the biggest threats facing children and families in Minnesota right now? Yes. Coupled with Medicaid, Medicare Uh and also, Governor Walls, I just want to give you a moment to if there's anything you'd like to clarify that's been said in this unbelievable committee hearing today. I don't even know what the adjective is. Well, thank you, Congresswoman. And we object 30 seconds. Look, we're here to work with you.
▶ 7:05:22what you've heard time and time again, we have a job to do as governors. The federal government has a job to do. Not doing ISIS's job is not interference or not wanting to get these people. And the gentleman asked the question and then left. The gentleman he brought up with, we held him. We paid for it. We called DHS before he was released. The second one he mentioned, DOC called DHS prior to his release. We do that every single time in Minnesota. That law has been on the books for many years, and that's how we implement it.
▶ 7:05:50So, um I I just don't understand why we don't want to work together to be successful. None of us want the criminals on the street, but I certainly want immigrants in Minnesota who are contributing to our quality of life. Gentle lady's times expired. Thank you, Governor. Chair recognizes uh uh Miss Boowbert from Colorado. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh the Los Angeles riots are certainly a shameful explosion of lawlessness uh that we are once again seeing.
▶ 7:06:19Uh the narrative has changed in in these riots, but it's certainly um the same type of actors. Uh we're seeing businesses torched, cars torched, families uprooted, certainly communities that are scared. And this is no by no means a peaceful protest. It is absolute chaos. And riers don't get a free pass to burn down cities just simply because they're mad.
▶ 7:06:43because they are mad that our nation's laws are being upheld, that our federal agents are upholding their oath and uh and doing what they were uh hired to do. Our first responders deserve respect. They do not deserve to have rocks thrown at them uh and to be injured. Um but I mean, let's be honest, uh this violence didn't really spark in a vacuum. Sanctuary policies are a magnet for trouble.
▶ 7:07:13They shields criminals um undermine the rule of law. And governors, I' I've sat here and I've heard you today. You you say that safety is your number one priority. You want your communities safe. You want your people safe. And Governor Hokll, you just asked, "How can we work together to ensure that that happens?" Well, that's exactly what we want to do in this hearing. We want to work together.
▶ 7:07:37We want to talk to you about your sanctuary policies that are actually preventing us from working with you to keep your community safe because we want them safe as well. I have the same policies in Colorado that restrict our local law enforcement officers from coordinating with federal agents and some of my counties have issued lawsuits to try to end that. Um but but this is is serious and and we owe it to every American to restore safety and enforce our laws.
▶ 7:08:04It's been stated that this is a federal law and it's not your job to uphold the federal law. Well, we're not asking you to uphold it. We're just asking you to kind of step out of the way and let allow the federal government to do the job to uphold these laws. Uh when you have someone, don't wait until they con they they commit a violent heinous crime before we know their immigration status. So now we're seeing these riots everywhere.
▶ 7:08:31We've heard in 2020 that everything was mostly peaceful uh as cities burned down, as as people lost their lost their lives, as law enforcement officers lost their lives. So, I I just want to ask you three governors, um yes or no, is the destruction of private and governmental property, is that something that fits under your definition of a peaceful protest? Governor Walls, yes or no? No, it does not. Thank you, Governor Pritsker.
▶ 7:09:01Hard to believe that you're I find it hard to believe that you're lecturing us about peaceful protest. Look at what happened January 6th here at the capital. What we're seeing in LA insurrection. You want to talk about this is an absolute insurrection. You don't understand what insurrection is. We're trying to overturn an election here at the Congress. I started this off. You were here. They were attacking you by the way. Expect the same. I would expect the same. I'm answering your question.
▶ 7:09:28It is outrageous that you are asking is it peaceful to you're the one condoning of people who attack private and government right here at our Governor Hokll it's been a long day. Is that does that fit under your definition of a peaceful protest? The destruction of private and government property. No. And we feel for the business owners and the community for what's going on there.
▶ 7:09:51This is a narrow scope of people and the mass would light cars on fire fit under the definition of a peaceful protest. No, we reject that. No one should be lighting police cars on fire opposed to violence in any form. Yes, Governor Walls. Yeah, we reject that. Okay. Throwing bricks or large rocks at police officers. Is that peaceful? It is not. Is that peaceful, Governor? Whether it's in Los Angeles or here in Washington at the capital. No. Yeah, that didn't happen here. Uh Governor Hokll rejected. It actually did, but no, it's not acceptable.
▶ 7:10:22Okay. Governor Pritsker, uh you have um have you or have you not called for mass protests and mobilization and disruption? Indeed. Microphones, megaphones, and going to the ballot box. Well, they're responding in a much different way, are they not? Um President Trump also um asked for the historyfully make their voices heard. So it's okay for you to say that and hold that standard.
▶ 7:10:44But President Trump has a different standard when he's actually makes the claiming riots mass protest mobilizations and disruption as a response to President Trump's policies. Um I I just think that this is all hypocritical. You've called in 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 policies are harming American citizens.
▶ 7:11:10We should not have to wait until violence is committed to find out their legal status. We have two million unknown gotaways because of Joe Biden's administration and we have got to find them and get them out of America and I thank President Trump and his administration for doing just that. I yield. Gentle lady yield. Chair Mr. Craig from Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, thank you so much for allowing me to wave on to this committee today. I think if I were a permanent member, I'd have a permanent headache.
▶ 7:11:39Well, you won't have to worry about it. But go ahead, calls. It is so good to see you today. Let me start by saying that we should all be against chaos. We've all are for a safe and secure border and an orderly immigration system. What we're seeing now, though, is chaos out of the current administration with their blatant disregard for due process and their indiscriminate immigration executive orders.
▶ 7:12:06In fact, the Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security had to take down its posted sanctuary jurisdictions list because it created mass confusion in Minnesota for local officials and was opposed by local law enforcement. And so, uh, Governor Walls, let me just start just so we know the record is correct. Um, I didn't think Minnesota was a sanctuary state. Is Minnesota a sanctuary state, Governor? We are not.
▶ 7:12:31The legislature has passed no such law and I have signed no such law and we follow all federal law. Thank you, sir. Um, that list included 20 counties when it came out across Minnesota without any rhyme or reason, including Lassour County, which I represent. I've inquired into why they are listed from uh DHS, but still absolutely no answers.
▶ 7:12:55Governor Walls, 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 than states such as Tennessee, Louisiana, Missouri, Texas, Alabama, Georgia. I'm going to repeat that again, Georgia, and Ohio. Why do you think that our state has been able to maintain a lower crime rate than other states? Well, thank you, Congresswoman.
▶ 7:13:24And we are at a 30-year low on serious crimes. And as you said, we consistently rank below. And I think that's because we invest, as we have, historic investments in law enforcement, but law enforcement works with the community. There's a process in place. We know who they are. They work hand in hand. Um, we make sure that those laws are followed. And we also have policies where we show compassion to our neighbors. And it's not uh it's not chaos, as you said, it's done right. So, I am grateful uh grateful for the law enforcement who does that work.
▶ 7:13:52But I'm also grateful to the legislature and and my administration who have put in historic amounts of help to make sure they're able to deliver those services and they are the ones that are best trained to do it. And the case that you brought up of listing these in Minnesota counties can go above the federal floor if they want to issue detainers. They certainly can. Many of those counties that were listed on there would fit the definition of everyone on this side of the aisle is asking for and they're doing that.
▶ 7:14:21Nothing prohibits them in Minnesota from doing that. And yet they ended up on the list. It caused great chaos and law enforcement themselves and as you heard earlier, sheriff's association issuing, you know, that they can't be done this way. Thank you, Governor. Earlier today, I spoke with the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, and I think all of us here share the goals of lowering costs for our constituents and growing the economy.
▶ 7:14:45According to a Minnesota Chamber Foundation report from this February, Minnesota's immigrant labor force participation rate was over 74%, well above the national average. And they fill important jobs in our agriculture, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors. Governor Walls, how can we ensure Minnesota remains a state to attract the talent we need and a strong economy? We invest in our people. We make sure we remain the number one health care state. Uh we make sure that people are safe in their communities.
▶ 7:15:14So talk about focusing on the work that the state patrol keeps our road safest top three state for the lowest number of traffic accidents. That's what they should be focusing on. Investing in as the chamber uh is focusing on Minnesota's number four in Fortune 500 per capita and we are ranked sixth best state for business. Continue to have a well a healthy safe and make sure we're investing in those opportunities for people. Um that's all we're asking and we're asking that the federal government do their job.
▶ 7:15:44You continue to ask states to do ICE job. They are free to do their job in Minnesota, but they're asking us to do the job when we are doing everything we can to help, but we have all of the other responsibilities of educating, of public safety, of roads, of transportation, of water, infrastructure, and that's why Minnesota remains a top state because we invest in our people. We invest in their growth. We invest in their families. Thank you, Governor. I appreciate this. And Mr. Lynch, I'll yield last 20 seconds to you if you've got that.
▶ 7:16:14Thank you. I I I I'm I'm happy to take that. Thank you very much. Uh Representative, I for this uh 12 seconds, I I just want to read this is from the Minnesota reformer from February 12th, 2025. The sanctuary bill that was offered in the Minnesota legislature is already dead as House Speaker says it doesn't have the votes.
▶ 7:16:39So, this was an attempt to actually make Minnesota a a uh a sanctuary state and it like like the speaker said, didn't have the votes and and died uh very early in the process and we got to the business of balancing our budget and investing in all of the other things we needed to do. All right, gentle gentlemen, ladies, time's expired. Chair recognized Miss Miller from Illinois. Thank you, Chairman. Governor Pritsker, Illinois is at a crisis point.
▶ 7:17:08Illegal aliens in our state have overwhelmed local communities and schools, causing untold pain and suffering while costing the Illinois taxpayers billions. Governor, in a recent report by Capital News of Illinois, you called for mass protests, for mobilization, for Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to submit the Capital News of Illinois report titled Trump's 100 days
▶ 7:17:39Pritsker calls for mass mobilization as he grows his national profile. Without objection to ordered. Governor, before we go any further, will you commit today to working with the Trump administration and ICE to ensure that the violence we've seen in Los Angeles does not occur in Chicago or anywhere else in our state? Yes or no? Thank you, Congresswoman Miller.
▶ 7:18:07Um, we work every day with the federal government safe. Will you commit to working with the federal? do all the time work with the federal government, law enforcement. Okay, I'm taking that as a yes. Governor, you said earlier this afternoon that you were willing to, and I quote, stand in the way of Tom Holman, end quote, who I would like to note, is carrying out federal law.
▶ 7:18:32I 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 his account. Hello, my name is Joe Abraham. I am the father of three and Katie was my youngest.
▶ 7:19:00Katie 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 her family. In the early hours of Sunday, January 19th, Katie was riding in a Honda Civic with four friends.
▶ 7:19:27They were stopped at a red light when their car was struck from behind by an SUV traveling 78 miles per hour. The driver didn't break. He didn't 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.
▶ 7:19:49After 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. Another young woman passed away the next day at the hospital. Instead of staying to face what he had done, the driver fled Urbana, made his way to Chicago, and then boarded a bus headed to Mexico. Thankfully, he was captured before fleeing the country.
▶ 7:20:17We share Katie's 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 me. I am very sorry for their loss.
▶ 7:20:45I really 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? Yes or no, sir?
▶ 7:21:10You know, Congresswoman Miller, I am not going to be lectured to by somebody who exposed my time of Adolf Hitler of somebody who hasowed the pardon of January. I'm reclaiming my time. In 2024, after the presidential election, you stated on MSNBC that, and I quote, I am going to do everything that I can to protect our undocumented immigrants. End quote. Mr.
▶ 7:21:38Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to submit a Fox News report into the record titled Dem Governor JB Pritsker vows to do everything I can to protect our undocumented immigrants. Congressman, I was talking about the people who have lived in our state for decades. These policies are not only deadly, but they have cost Illinois taxpayers billions to the tune of $3 billion since 2022.
▶ 7:22:04Governor, your state budget doesn't balance without massive yearly tax increases. This year, you hiked taxes by 800 million dollars. Your budgets fund the services of illeacurate. Nearly everything is mischaracterized in your statement. Governor, I b I judge you based on your actions, not on your words.
▶ 7:22:26And from 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 our state and they would be disastrous for our country. And with that, I yield back. Your failure is a disaster for this yield back. Gentle lady yields back. Chair recognizes Mr. Suberman. Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair.
▶ 7:22:53I I first want to say that um what happened this afternoon, the this afternoon's manhandling of Senator Alex Padilla after he sought to speak at a public press conference was wrong and should be condemned by both parties, by every member in this chamber. But it follows a pattern in this administration of weaponizing law enforcement and using excessive force to attack peace peaceful protests and political opponents.
▶ 7:23:25it it's really it's terrible. I mean, you know, we're talking about we're talking about what's going on in sanctuary states, quote unquote, but uh you know, I live in Virginia and we're not a sanctuary state, but what is happening is that our sheriff's office is made a decision to participate in the 287G program and basically working with ICE to show up in schools, show up in businesses, and try to
▶ 7:23:56basically attack kids, right? Detained kids. And this is and this is not what our country is about. And so I, you know, I do not want us to be supporting these types of actions. Yesterday in Sterling, Virginia, we had mass men show up to a courthouse and detain people and arrest And a lot of this is peaceful.
▶ 7:24:25And this again follows this pattern of weaponizing law enforcement and weaponizing the DOJ in other places to attack political opponents, attack peaceful protests, and to go around trying to make a political point. And 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's not strength. That's not strength.
▶ 7:24:54And 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 I want to ask Governor Waltz, do do these raids and do these actions and this use of law enforcement, is it making the folks in Minnesota safer? Well, thank you, Congressman. In my opinion, no. it it's causing chaos and fear amongst folks and and characterizing folks who are waiting on asylum claims who are trying to become naturalized.
▶ 7:25:24Uh it causes chaos and the other thing it does it causes local law enforcement they they lose trust in the community. It puts them at risk and the co the lack of coordination that we hear that no calls are coming in. We always coordinate and and in the past Democratic and Republican administrations have coordinated with us. We're not seeing it. It's creating chaos and fear and like I Yes. Get these stories of these violent criminals. We hold them. We called DHS, but those violent criminals aren't at a preschool.
▶ 7:25:54That That's what we have to get right. Go after why you're doing this. Get us a bipartisan bill that makes sure that folks can process and be documented. And let's make this country prosperous and continue to have a country. Exactly. Because that's that's a great point because if we really want to solve immigration, why don't we do a bipartisan immigration reform bill? We can strengthen our border. We can find a path for those who've been here for a long time. We can actually solve this problem in Congress.
▶ 7:26:22But instead, we're going around with mass men, intimidating people, put throwing US senators to the ground and not solving any problem. And Governor Pritkar, you know, I've talked to a lot of businesses in my community who are really concerned about what's going on. And this is not good for our economy either. And so I'd ask you, Governor Pritzkar, what what do you feel? Is this good for your state? Is this making folks in your state safer or well off or better off? Congressman, thank you.
▶ 7:26:50And no, this is making us uh worse off. It's making it's actually harming public safety. Uh it's frightening our communities. And frankly, if you're one of the people, the US citizens that are getting taken off the streets or people who are here in this country legally taken off the streets, I mean, imagine how what effect that has on the rest of the population. And in my state, you know, we reject that. I mean, the values of the people of the state of Illinois reject that.
▶ 7:27:17And I just want to say because Congresswoman Miller would not allow me to, I just want to say very importantly that anyone who is condoning uh the $400 million airplane going to the president of the United States from the Qataris, uh, who would spy on us in an instant if they were able to do this. uh anybody who's condoning the president of the United States accepting the Chinese Communist Party money to his family through his meme coin.
▶ 7:27:46I mean that that is corruption and yet that is what Congresswoman Miller is condoning. She's the one who thinks it's okay to pardon people who attack police right here at the capital. Thank you for giving me that moment. Y back. Gentleman's expired. Chair recognizes Miss Fishbach from Minnesota. Thank you very much Mr. chair and I just want to say thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to be waved on today, Mr. Chair. And um I will I will just say that oversight is far livelier than Ways and Means.
▶ 7:28:16Um but you know and and Governor Walls, I want to say I thank you for being here because I know you've been very very busy running around the country giving speeches and having town halls in Republican Republican districts. Yeah. Well, you were running around though. I know while they were trying to negotiate that. So it's my time, Mr. Governor Walls. It's my time. But there has been a lot of discussion um and questions about policies that provide benefits for illegal aliens.
▶ 7:28:42And and I understand, Governor, that you're going to say um Minnesota is not a sanctuary state per se because the legislation was not passed. And and just a yes or no question. Uh ranking member Lynch had mentioned that there was a bill that was introduced for a sanctuary state this year in the in the Minnesota legislature. Would you have signed that bill? Did you support that bill? Oh, thousands of bills introduced hypothetical. We don't have it. I operate under the same law you operated under. Thank you, Governor Walls.
▶ 7:29:09But yeah, but Governor Walls, we all know that you probably had it you you probably had um some opinion on that bill. You're just choosing not to answer because the answer was probably yes, you would have signed that bill if it had passed. So, um but like Mr. Emmer, uh Mr. Crane, I think Mr. Magguire, a whole bunch of them, um, mentioned the the policies that Minnesota has.
▶ 7:29:32So, yes, I understand not a sanctuary state per se, but the policies are certainly making it into I think uh, as I recall, they mentioned driver's license for all. They mentioned the free tuition for illegal immigrants. They mentioned the Medicaid benefits. Um, you know, so you're so you in essence create a sanctuary state. Um, you know, you know, the sheriff supported the driver's license bill, the hospitals and other Governor Walls, I am certainly aware of that.
▶ 7:30:02I was I served many years in the legislature. I still keep an eye there. I understand that. But you in essence, they are creating a sanctuary state in practice. And um and so we are going to talk a little bit about the legislature because just earlier this week um both chambers of the Minnesota legislature passed HF1. um and and you're probably familiar with it. I don't know if you've signed it yet or not, but um it repeals Minnesota Care eligibility for illegal immigrants, adults ages 18 and older.
▶ 7:30:32Um and with that recent repeal of eligibility for illegal immigrants, a policy that initially, I mean, it was after my time um was enacted in your time uh 2023 under your administration. Um now being reversed with those budget NEO negotiations. Um, I was just wondering first of all, do you know how many illegal immigrants were covered uh or and are currently covered in Minnesota with Medicaid? I don't have the exact number. It's now Medicaid.
▶ 7:31:00It's state that does this through Minnesota Care. Okay. Well, but you still don't know how many um so all of those negotiations you were deeply involved in earlier that you mentioned you were deeply involved in that that number never came up. I don't have it in front of me right now. We could certainly get it to you. I would love it. I would love to have that. Um, but do you support I mean I I understand uh did you support that provision that uh removing the illegal immigrants? I will I will sign it into law. No. No.
▶ 7:31:30Did you support it during the Do I support it in the I'm going to sign the bill. Uh but but there's negotiations. So I I guess what I mean we're very good at it. That's why we have a balanced budget and so I negotiated with the Republicans. Do I think it makes sense? Look, you know, Congresswoman, that federal law requires us to provide health care to people when they show up emergency rooms. That's why the hospitals have uncompensated care. Reclaiming my time because you're trying to change the subject because I asked you very specifically during negotiations.
▶ 7:32:00Did you support the um the provision to eliminate illegal immigrants from healthcare? It's a question that makes no sense. I supported at the end of the day in a negotiation, which I thank you, Governor. It's I mean, you were here in Congress. Do you understand what reclaiming your time means? Yeah, you understand that. Um, so but I guess I I will move on.
▶ 7:32:21Um, because you know there was concerns about SNAP provisions uh being cut and all kinds of and uh but but you supported that. I mean you supported that over the um over government, excuse me. Um over the healthcare to illegal immigrants. Um, I guess I'm confused about because you had other cuts you had to make. So, what did you all of the things that you guys have been talking about with law enforcement, education, school, breakfast, and lunch.
▶ 7:32:50Um, did you cut that during the budget negotiations this year? Because my understanding is you had quite a deficit. Uh, we don't. We have a budget surplus as you know, Congresswoman. Well, long term, but you had to make cuts this year. We had a balanced budget. It's something we can help you all with. We have a balanced budget we agreed on. We left over uh 1.9 billion on the bottom line for this bienium and even but your structural budget was reduced by 50%. You had to make cuts or no you didn't make any cuts.
▶ 7:33:20We we made we balanced a budget. We moved and we invested. All right, Governor. I'm going to move on because I have one more thing and I'm running out of time because I really do want to talk about you had mentioned civility or someone had mentioned civility. There was a discussion earlier about civility. Um, and this is just it just but Mr. uh Mr. Fallon had mentioned how you had said, you know, you want to kick Republican ass. You you've mentioned bullying.
▶ 7:33:46There's another one where you're going to bully the bully the [ __ ] out of President Trump. There's all kinds of things and and and then you had a discussion about civility and I'm embarrassed because you say you're an educator and you're the governor of my state that I'm supposed to be proud of and this is the kind of garbage the example you're setting for our children that you're telling people to bully each other and I try very hard not to say those kinds of things because I understand that it is meaningful when you hold a position
▶ 7:34:16like this you should not be saying things like that but you support the president's language Gentle ladies, I am I the president is not in front of me right now. Governor, gentle ladies, time's expired. Chair recognizes the ranking member for a unanimous consent. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 7:34:32I have here a statement from the distinguished representative Betty McCullum from Minnesota that notes that Minnesota's crime is declining, 30-year low, companies are hiring, it's one of the best places to raise a family in America, and it is not a sanctuary state. Without objection, so ordered. Chair recognized Mr. Lawler from New York. Governor Hokll, under your watch, New York has spent billions of dollars of taxpayer money providing free housing, clothing, food, education, and healthcare to illegal immigrants.
▶ 7:35:02Meanwhile, you're charging hardworking New Yorkers $2,500 annually just 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? No, that was previous to that. that it was in 20 2020. You had a commercial running for Congress touting your position, but the position goes back earlier than my point. My point was Did you oppose giving driver's licenses to illegals when you were running for Congress? Yes or no?
▶ 7:35:33At the time I did, and I'll tell you, yes or no? I had a chance to go out and see a very rural district. Mothers were being denied the chance. Governor, yes or no? Do you support illegal immigrants getting taxpayer funded to go to their jobs? And I understand, please answer the question. Governor, sure there'll ever be a real question. You were asked a question and you chose to try to answer. The fact is you did support giving illegals driver's license oppose giving illegals driver's licenses. Now you support it. Governor, yes or no?
▶ 7:36:00Do you support illegal immigrants getting taxpayer funded healthcare? Yes or no? We provide health care to people in need, including moms with new babies. Do you support giving illegal immigrants taxpayer funded healthcare? Yes or no? We support giving money support The answer is yes. You expanded healthcare access in 2024 under Medicaid for senior breaks the law I'll be the first one to call up ICE and say get them out of here.
▶ 7:36:31Governor, yes or no? Have you personally called up ICE and asked them to get anyone out of New York? As the governor of New York, I have an entire state police force called anybody and asked ICE to get anyone out of New York. Yes or no? My state police as my agency and you have not correct. When I say me, I'm referring to my entities such as the state police that hand. You're like Governor Cuomo. I am the govern I am the government. That's your characterization, not mine. Uh yes or no. Should I have been called on Sebastian Zapetta Cali?
▶ 7:37:03Can you refresh me as to the circumstances of the case? He's the individual who burned the woman alive on the train. Of course. Could I have been called on him? NYPD was handling that situation. Could ICE have been called? That's my question. Yes or no? If there was an arrest made, he should have been deported after conviction. Yes. Okay. So, Governor, when you were sworn in in 2021, you signed an executive order keeping many of Governor Cuomo's executive orders in place, including EO 170.
▶ 7:37:32Interestingly enough, you did not include EO 170.1. Are you familiar with EO1 170.1? I don't have it in front of me. I have thousands of executive. I have it right here, Governor. Sure you do. And what you did, you waited several years until this year, January 16th of this year, in which you finally signed it, and reinstated it into law.
▶ 7:37:56Why did you wait until just 4 days before Donald Trump was sworn in as president to sign uh EO 170.1 into law? And to refresh your memory, it basically mandates that federal immigration authorities cannot enforce civil arrests in New York State buildings. Why did you wait several years to reinstate that?
▶ 7:38:19Because we had a high level of confidence that under the previous administration that people going into the courouses, whether they're victims of crimes, witnesses of crimes, would have their rights protected. I had no other words. Do you believe they would not enforce federal immigration law and you were concerned that President Trump and his administration would enforce federal immigration law? We thought it was important for victims of crimes and witnesses to murders, for example, that they have access to courts without being threatened or intimidated. Yeah.
▶ 7:38:46Speaking of crime, more than 3,200 illegal immigrants have been arrested in New York City for committing crimes while living in taxpayer funded housing under your watch. Governor, Governor, are you aware of any law or executive order that would prevent a citizen of New York, a citizen of the United States from uh facing criminal or civil enforcement in a state building? I'm not aware.
▶ 7:39:13So, you think that citizens should be treated less than and have less protections than illegal immigrants? No. Is that what you're saying? Our state laws say we cooperate in all criminal cases. I've made that very clear over the last You're not doing that. That's the reality. Governor, do you support Do you support the New York for all acting my time? Do you support the New York for all act? I'm not speaking about hypothetical bills. No, Governor. Governor, this isn't a hypothetical.
▶ 7:39:42There was a sitin in the state legislature today by activists blocking state senators from coming into the chamber. Do you support the New York for All Act? It's yes or no. I will tell you this. I get about a thousand bills put on my desk by mid York, which is this is keeping me from doing the work of the people back home, but I can governor, you've done a terrible job as governor. It's not keeping you from anything. Frankly, New York is better off with you down here and not in the state. The fact don't think we're better off with you. The fact is, Governor, you will support the New York for All Act.
▶ 7:40:12You will sign it into law if it passes. I have no confidence going to pass. You have no confidence it will pass. If it does pass, will you sign it? I'm not able to keep an eye out. They're voting on. Will you sign it into law if it passes? I have about a thousand bills that get Will you sign the New York for All Act into law if it passes? You have to wait and see. Like every other bill. You have to wait and see. Governor, you can't take a position on the New York for All Act. It would put into state statue that New York is a sanctuary state. That's why you're here.
▶ 7:40:39That is the exact reason why you're sitting in front of us testifying because of your disastrous EOS, your disastrous pro-criminal policies that have resulted in the death of New Yorkers. That is your failure. And the fact is that you can't even answer the question. The reason I'm sitting here to deflect the big bad ugly bill that's going to hurt people. Governor, gentlemen, time's expired. Governor, are you going to answer his question? Will you sign the bill? I don't know what he's asking me. He asked if you're going to sign the bill. Ask anybody in the state of New York.
▶ 7:41:09I never say how I'm going to vote on a decide on a bill until it lands on my desk. You are the governor of the state. You are supposed to say it's shameful. It's shameful. You can't even answer the question. When it lands on my desk, I'll do the proper evaluation. Chair recognizes what? Sign it into law. That's exactly what you'll do. Chair recognizes ranking member. Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a a number of unanimous consent requests.
▶ 7:41:36Uh, one from the National Immigration Center without objection to order. Uh, National Immigrate IM National Immigrant Justice Center and the Alliance for Immigrants without objection to order. They speak for themselves. Chair recognized Mr. Stalber from Minnesota. Thank you very much. Uh, Governor RS, thanks for being here today. Uh, I'm going to ask you a few questions and I ask you to keep your remarks brief. I got a lot to go through. As you know, I spent 23 years as a law enforcement officer in the state of Minnesota. You know that, Do you know that?
▶ 7:42:06Yes or no? I don't know. Question. I It's not a question. I don't know. I'll answer it for you. 23 years in in Duth. Thank you for that. So, uh, Governor, do you recognize this Uh, I I do recognize the picture. Briefly describe it to us. What is it? What's going on? Uh, these were folks. I believe the people in the picture now are incarcerated. Minnesota burning down because of your decision. Was this a peaceful protest?
▶ 7:42:36Was this a peaceful protest? The gentleman standing there was Was this a peaceful protest? It was a criminal act that people were prosecuted for. So it wasn't a peaceful protest, right? As I watched lawlessness devastate Los Angeles this past week, I was reminded of your failure to protect Minnesota from similar riots.
▶ 7:43:00Governor Walls, on May 29th of 2020, during your own press conference, you described your response to the riots during the 2020 Summer of Love as quote an abject failure. Governor, I couldn't agree with you more. That's out of context, governor. And on May 17th, 2025, you were at the law school, uh, graduating, uh, Minnesota law school, talking to the graduates, and we've talked about this.
▶ 7:43:26You called the enforcement of of illegal immigrants a modern-day Gestapo. You've been asked three, four times if you would resend that and you won't. Will you resend it? This is like the fifth time. Yes or no? Congressman, I was talking to law students about due process and I said every you took an oath to do. Governor, was there a violent al-Shabaab terrorist who entered our country illegally arrested in Minneapolis last year? Yes, there was.
▶ 7:43:52Were there three illegal im uh child predators arrested by ICE in St. Paul earlier this year? I certainly hope so. That's their job. Yes, there was. Are the officers who arrested the Al-Shabaab terrorists or the child predators? Are they Nazi Nazis or the Gestapo? The tactics of wearing masks. They're not the tactics of wearing masks. Why did you Why did you tell us that they were the Gustapo?
▶ 7:44:24Do you believe that any of the violent illegal immigrants I have mentioned have a right to be in this country? I don't know what their immigration status was. They're illegal violent criminals that the ICE took off the streets of Minneapolis. I you did not say congressman what their status governor last week law enforcement officers in in the state of Minnesota took 900 pounds of meth off the streets. Do you support that? We certainly do.
▶ 7:44:55Do you know that ICE Do you know that ICE assisted in that in that uh arrest those arrests and investigations? Do you support the assistance of ICE in that in that uh enforcement action? Yes or no? I can't speak to that because we were not included in the briefing. You don't know if ICE was part of it? I'm telling you they were. I I'm I don't have that data. I would have to trust you.
▶ 7:45:15Will you apologize to our constituents and law enforcement officers for making them and their families less sta safe with your incendiary actions. I'll congratulate them that they helped us work on the largest pension bill for Minnesota law enforcement in 30 years. Claiming my time. Governor, what weapons did you carry in war? Congressman, for 24 years I carried No, no, no. What weapons did you carry in war?
▶ 7:45:46What did you carry in? I tell you what, Governor, you're you're barking down the wrong tree. Okay, you lied to the motans. You said that you carried weapons in war. That is stolen valor. You know what? My wife served 25 24 years a little bit and she's an Iraq war veteran. She was over in the war zone. That's that's stolen valor and I'm soed with you and so are the people that you served with. Point of order just a minute. State valor.
▶ 7:46:16You didn't carry weapons question. Congressman, my 24 years with public many, many years for lying. Objection. Apologize for lying. Objection. All right. Hold on. Pause. That's not questioning a witness. That's not questioning a witness. Point of order. Point of order. State your state your point, Mr. No. No. At your point, you're hectoring. You're hector. You're hector. Governor, you didn't carry weapons in war, did you? At your point. You didn't carry weapons in 24 seconds, did you?
▶ 7:46:45Congressman, you know I didn't carry weapons in war. Yes or no? You lied. Governor, what rank did you retire What did you retire at, Congressman? I served my battalion as the command sergeant major. That's not the question I What rank did you retire at? I retired as a master sergeant in EA. Hey, here's here's your here's your coin that says you retired at a command sergeant major. That's coin. It says I wore the rank. This is Yeah, you I that's right.
▶ 7:47:14You didn't retire, did you? I did retire after 24 years. Here is a picture of your coin, your challenge coin. I'm disgusted with you. I I'm just Mr. Chairman Congress when you called half Trump supporters Nazis and fascists. And you know what?
▶ 7:47:33That's why the Minnesota Police and Peace Association did not uh support you in the last election because action on behalf of the on behalf of the folks from the land of rocks and cows. Thank you. And I yel back. Chair chair recognizes Miss Tenny from New York. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and and uh thank you for allowing me to wave on to this this committee for this important oversight committee hearing.
▶ 7:47:58and uh happy to have the governor's here to uh hopefully answer some questions and uh just to address a couple things that um that I've heard in this committee hearing. I I haven't appeared on oversight before. I do serve in a much milder uh ways and means committee, but I just want to say a couple things about what this committee what we're doing today and about sanctuary cities. We are all children of immigrants. My my grandparents met at Ellis Island. They sat in quarantine. They came from other countries. They came here to work. That's not what this is about.
▶ 7:48:28This hearing is about people who have taken advantage of our borders and our country who have come in as illegal cartels who have overrun our northern border, which is part of my district in upstate New York and New York 24. And these people have taken operational control of our southern and our northern border.
▶ 7:48:44And we need our governors to make sure that they're providing the law enforcement backup to our ICE agents and others and not re assisting and aiding and abetting in such a way in such a way to these illegal immigrants particularly the cartels. And I think one of the most important things I'm sick of hearing everyone defaming my constituent actually Tom Hman who's doing an excellent job and who served our country honorably.
▶ 7:49:09his big concern, and I think it's a big concern for me because when I served in the state legislature, uh, Governor Hokll wasn't there as as a state as either the lieutenant governor or the governor, but I was one of the leaders on human trafficking. And one of the important questions that Tom Holman talked about repeatedly is where are the 300,000 children, children who are human traffked by people who are profiting off of this human trafficking. Not just drug trafficking, human trafficking, innocent children all through our interior.
▶ 7:49:40We don't know where they are. Those are the people that I'm concerned about. And what ICE is trying to do is get to those people who are taking these children and profiting off them and having no regard. And that's what worries me the most is we've gotten off track on a number of things. And what concerns me is we have this defund the and demoralize the police movement brought to a level where we're defunding and demoralizing ICE agents who are simply doing their job to protect our borders.
▶ 7:50:08And what concerns me is, and I know Governor K Hokll, and obviously I'm going to address you because you're my governor. Um, people have addressed the billions of dollars that New York State taxpayers, by the way, the highest taxed uh taxpayers in the entire nation. Now, we're always in a struggle with can with uh uh California, who's more, who's less, and I think we're winning out this race now. Not a good distinction, by the way. Not a good distinction to have a northern border that's overrun by people who are human trafficking bringing illicit drugs into our communities.
▶ 7:50:38I've had three three parents in my community, my own home community, where their sons died of overdoses because of illegal fentanyl. So, these are real issues that are coming from people that are coming across our borders. So, we know we've spent billions of dollars on on all kinds of illegal immigrants in New York State. It's the estimate is between New York City and New York State, it's about 7 billion. And that's New York taxpayer dollars. Those are my tax dollars. People I constituents I serve who go to work every day and all we're trying to do is keep these communities safe.
▶ 7:51:07And you mentioned that, Governor Hokll that you were talking about keeping these communities safe. But I want to ask you a question. Uh, and there's I've got a a series of questions and some of them have been asked by my colleagues, but I want to ask you right now because you're the governor of our state and you've been presiding over a pretty disastrous situation with our prisons and many of those prisons, including one of the maximum security prisons is actually in my district and a number of other facilities. Are there any criminal illegal gang members in the New York State prison system right now?
▶ 7:51:37Just if if yes if there are Congress, I don't know how many and if you can't get me the answer, can your staff provide us with a general information on that? No, I'll tell you this. I totally agree with you, Congresswoman, that more needs to be done to protect our border. We've asked for support from the federal government for the border that you represent and I know so well. I've had to deploy eight million dollars of my own state dollars to amp up the Well, there are state dollars, but let me just take this back about the let me get to the prisons because I want to get into another thing.
▶ 7:52:07Are are there criminal illegal immigrant gang members in the New York State prison system right now? If there are, there will be no. Yes. Do you know if there are I'm sure there are. We've already said that's what I want to know. Can you already had ICE take 1300 of them? I just I'm not asking you that. But I'm asking you, can we get the information about how many of the whether they're trendy aragwa, whether they're MS-13, crypts, bloods. I've toured the prisons. I' I've seen, you know, people that they line up in rows.
▶ 7:52:35I want to know how many of our illegal immigrants that are putting not only other inmates at risk, but also our prison guards who are at risk because right now, these types of people are in our prison system are putting our corrections officers at risk.
▶ 7:52:48and and by you shutting down and and and cutting off the ability of our corrections officers who are trained to deal with these kind of people there, we're losing the ability of having uh the trained people there and our National Guard are wonderful people who serve our communities, but they're not trained to be able to do this and many of them are underage in that. Can I get the information from you on that? Certainly. And again, I just want to reaffirm that if there's someone convicted of a crime in our prison, they will be deported. We let we let ICE know 30 days before the end of their sentence.
▶ 7:53:18And that's why I've sent 1300 people already just since I've been governor out of our country. I don't want them here any more than you do. Okay. Can I just ask you one last because you talked about uh your you don't support a sanctuary city. Right now we have you were lieutenant governor when this was signed into law under Governor Cuomo. We have the green light law. It prohibits uh the local DMVs. It gives driver's licenses to illegal aliens which you once didn't support but now you do. you've admitted that today.
▶ 7:53:45Um, under the green light law, would you support repealing the green light law so that we could allow ICE agents to work with our federal with our with our DMV to find out when these people drive across the Canadian border and they have a carload full of innocent children and they can't find any information on them because they get a legal license. Can you just give me that information? Last question, but feel free to answer. We absolutely share information on such situations with ICE. That is our job. Do you support repealing the green? Lady's time's expired. Chair recognize Mr.
▶ 7:54:15Leood. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate your indulgence for letting me wave on the committee today. I know it's been a long day. I want to welcome our governors here today. Thank you, Governor Pritsker. Um, 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. And I know we've talked a lot about that today. And I want to be clear, your sweeping sanctuary policies are not just misguided in my view. I think they're dangerous.
▶ 7:54:45Your agenda puts ideology um 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 uh among the national outliers to defy federal law. And you've doubled down on policies like Illinois Way Forward Act, which is legislation you proposed and signed that prohibits local law enforcement from cooperating with ICE, even in cases invol involving violent criminals.
▶ 7:55:16And I think hearing you today, I think you honestly believe that refusing to turn over convicted felons to federal authorities makes our community safer. And I'll tell you, Governor, it doesn't. And as a former federal state a federal and state prosecutor who's worked very 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're creating bureaucratic roadblocks and political cover.
▶ 7:55:46And in my view, that's not leadership. It's government Illinois families are already struggling with the highest combined state and local tax burden in the country and they should not be forced to subsidize over $2.5 billion dollar in Illinois taxpayer money that's been spent on illegal immigrants over the last four years under your sanctuary policies in Illinois. I want to mention two specific cases, although I could talk about a lot more.
▶ 7:56:13a tragic case involving the family of George Leaven, a 63-year-old man who was murdered by a pair of illegal immigrants who arrested in Chicago in January. He was found bound with duct tape and his legs tied with an extension cord. The title uh of an article was, "Two migrant men beat Chicago businessmen to death, left him bound, gagged, prosecutors say dated February 1st, 2025." again under your sanctuary policies in the state of Illinois.
▶ 7:56:43I'd like to submit that for the record, Mr. Chair, without objection to order. Second one is a case of two families and I want to highlight Khloe Pullzan and of course Katherine Abraham. Two girls in their early 20s that were killed in a fatal hit and run by an illegal immigrant in Urbana, Illinois. And again, the title from that article, uh, Glen View family seeks justice after migrant suspect kills daughter and friend in Urbana hit and run. I'd like to submit that for the record. Without objection to ordered.
▶ 7:57:12And so, Governor, my I guess a question for you. Um, as you hear these stories, and there's many others, does it cause you to rethink your sanctuary city policies or regret some of the policies you've taken as it relates to sanctuary cities? Thank you, Congressman. I'm glad to see you here. I know you were unwilling to meet with your constituents about the Medicaid cuts that you So, answer the question.
▶ 7:57:35I I thought you might not answer the question whether reclaiming my I'm going to reclaim my time because you did not answer the question, which I thought you would when I asked does do when you hear about victims that suffer violence because of illegal migrants in a sanctuary sanctuary city state, you said no. It hasn't caused you to rethink reclaiming my time. Now, Governor Pritker, you mentioned reclaiming my time. Uh, I have warrants all the federal government.
▶ 7:58:04You all have the ability to fix this. Governor Pritsker earlier, do your job. Do your job, Congressman. Yeah. I would deflect too instead of answer those questions. Now, you said earlier you in a in a response to a question from Chairman Comr that you have been critical and had been critical of President Biden and his border policies. and you cited a letter October 2nd, 2023 that you authored. So I pulled the letter and I was looking for this criticism of the Biden border policy. Three pages, nothing in there.
▶ 7:58:34Now I'm going to submit for the record so everybody can see it. October 2nd, 2023 letter from JB Pritsker to President Biden. Not one mention of crit being critical of the border. without objection to order. Thank you. Public statements on national programs about this your time. Um, Governor Pritsker, uh, it was mentioned earlier all these rosy statistics about Illinois, but I want to mention a couple that weren't mentioned. Illinois is the leader in out migration of people leaving the state of Illinois.
▶ 7:59:01We've led for the last four years, five years, people want to leave the state of Illinois. We lost a congressional seat, as you're well aware. We have the lowest population in the city of Chicago now than in a hundred years. People continue to flee Illinois. We have the fifth highest unemployment rate in the country, the second highest property tax rate in the country, the fifth highest illegal immigration population in the country with over 500,000 illegal immigrants leaving in Illinois. None of that got mentioned before, but that's the reality.
▶ 7:59:29And to be honest with you, Governor Pritsker, I wish you didn't have to be here today as my governor. I really do. But unfortunately, because of your failed policies, you have spotlighted Illinois. And that truly is unfortunate and I yield back. Gentleman yields back. Half of that is completely false and needs to be corrected. And I will if given the moment to speak. Our population is increasing. We we have a a higher population as a result of those census that was done in 2020.
▶ 7:59:59It was your Republican uh uh governor. Governor, you'll have to answer that. You were part of those policies. We are turning this around. All right. chair recognizes Mr. Jack. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman. And as the last questioner today, uh Mr. Walls, I think you're not going to need any more diet Mountain Dew after this.
▶ 8:00:23Um but do you just one thing just to kind of bring this entire hearing back into the perspective just to help us understand and this committee understand the policies of your administrations. We'll start with you, Governor Walls. Do you accept US code which establishes that improper entry into our country is illegal and enforceable by the federal government? Improper entry meaning not asking for illegally crossing is an illegal act and therefore a criminal act.
▶ 8:00:51Uh civil in some cases criminal as the government does it. Yes. Thank you. Governor Pritsker I'm sorry. Can you repeat the question? Sure. No question. Um, so just establishing that your administration respects that US code believes US code affirms and your administration believes that improper entry into our country is an illegal act and therefore criminal as the federal code says we believe it. Yeah, we follow it. Thank you, Governor and Governor Hokll.
▶ 8:01:17Depends how the depends how the federal immigration authorities enforce it. Sometimes it's civil, sometimes they do it on the criminal side. It's up to them to make that determination. Thank you. One of the reasons why we just want to establish that is with respect to legal immigration. I mean, your you were elected in your states, but your state's policies affect my state in Georgia, affect my constituents in Georgia.
▶ 8:01:39Because when you create policies that incentivize illegal immigration, uh folks crossing illegally and being criminals into our country, it it challenges u it presents challenges to us and it presents challenges to our ability to protect our constituents. In my district, every single person on this panel, Republican and Democrat, has a story, a painful story about how an illegal immigrant or many illegal immigrants have taken lives of those within our our districts. In fact, in my district alone in Columbus, Georgia, Dr.
▶ 8:02:08Malcolm Goodchild was killed by a drunk driver illegally here in our country. Of course, we talked about Lake and Riley. My colleagues have done that ad nauseium. So, we also talk about the financial burden that's associated with those of us uh that represent folks in Georgia and your states as well. in Georgia alone. I just want for the record to note that $563 has been uh associated with the increased costs and increased burdens of my constituents because of illegal immigrants within our state.
▶ 8:02:34Um in our closing time, Governor Pritker, we had Mayor Brandon Johnson testify before us and I know you've at at times expressed concerns about how he's run his administration in Chicago. I'm just curious if you support one of the things we talked about in this committee, perhaps you prepared for it, was a directive that he sent to Chicago police, uh, directing them not to cooperate with federal law enforcement, enforcing immigration operations. Do you support that action from Mayor Johnson? I support actions that follow the law of the state of Illinois and the federal law.
▶ 8:03:04Do you think Mayor Johnson has done a good job with respect to law enforcement in his city? Law enforcement has improved marketkedly since the choice of Larry Snelling as the superintendent of police in the city of Chicago. What grade would you give Ada F. Mayor Johnson with respect to law enforcement in a city? I I I wouldn't grade the mayor. I will say that Larry Snelling is doing an excellent job as superintendent. Thank you.
▶ 8:03:28Governor Walls, I think you bring an interesting perspective to this conversation because you were just a candidate for national office on a ticket that lost. Exit polls from 2024 show a clear bipartisan majority of Americans trust President Trump to effectively handle immigration. Recent polling affirms Americans overwhelmingly support President Trump's immigration policies by a 30% margin. Even CBS published a survey that shows six out of 10 Americans say it is very important to deport illegal aliens. And of course, we've established that anyone crossing the border is in fact a criminal.
▶ 8:03:59So, Governor Walls, I'm just curious, given Americans overwhelming support of President Trump's immigration policies, do you believe your record on immigration is one of the reasons you lost the vice presidency? Um, Congressman, I'm not familiar with the polls you're talking about. I can only speak to Minnesota that there there's an anger about how it's being carried out. No one disagrees that we need an immigration reform and we need to fix it. What they don't see is whether it's a United States senator being taken down for asking a question or whether it's a four-year-old girl with cancer being sent out of the country. That's the frustration.
▶ 8:04:29Put another way, I'm just curious. I mean, you you were on a national ticket that lost, and I'm curious, why do you believe what issues do you believe you failed to litigate properly with the American voters? Oh, I'll let history relitigate that. Fair enough. And I'll just close, Governor Waltz, if I could. You know, one of the concerns that's been raised about why illegal immigration was so bad under President Biden is that he just cognitively was not there during the end of his presidency. When did you first become aware of President Biden's cognitive decline? I don't have the expertise to judge on that.
▶ 8:04:59Did you have conversations with Vice President Harris at any point about his cognitive decline? Not that I can recall. No. With that, I yield back to our chairman. Thank you for convening this hearing and I appreciate your attention to all of our communities that we serve. Thank you, chairman. Thank you. Gentleman yields back because we had some wave on members on on our side that went over. I'm going to yield two minutes to uh Mr. Lynch. Uh thank you. I just want to uh update the gentleman on the most recent polls.
▶ 8:05:27You're right, the the president did have favorable uh uh marks on his uh immigration policy early on, but since these snatch and grabs have started, he's underwater. Uh 54% of the American people oppose him, his his current policy, this active policy he's got going on right now. With that, I know Governor Prrisker, you you had a desire to uh fire back at uh some of the allegations to you. You have that opportunity now. I yield you as much time as you need.
▶ 8:05:57Although, if you have any left over, you can give it to your Appreciate it. And I I am a sharer. Um I I will thank you very much uh uh Congressman. And let me just say that I'm so proud of my state and the way that we have operated uh particularly in the last six and a half years to uh protect people. Public safety so important in our state. I've increased the number of state police uh in Illinois.
▶ 8:06:23Uh actually to highs that didn't exist even uh before my uh predecessor, the Republican governor. Um, we also have done a lot to invest in violence prevention and you've seen the result of that and the fact that we have banned assault weapons, that we have banned ghost guns. Uh, I would ask the members of Congress and the members of this committee to work to ban assault weapons across the United States. It worked back in the 1990s.
▶ 8:06:51It would work again if you pass it to lower the crime rate, lower the homicide rate. Um, we have so much work to do as a country on immigration reform and I I don't understand why at about 50/50, this Congress is about 50/50 between the two parties. Isn't it about time that you got together and got comprehensive immigration reform done? I we've seen it over the last 40 years attempts along the way. It always fails.
▶ 8:07:19Every time it's because of Republican members 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. I like uh Governor Walls, I know you took some incoming today. You got any closing remarks? That's part of it.
▶ 8:07:48I would just say Chairman Comr uh acting ranking member uh thank you to you and I would like those folks sitting behind you and along the wall. Thank you to all of you for accommodating this. Chairman, thank you specifically for accommodating our state schedule on budget. I'm grateful. Thank you. Governor Hokll, no. Thank you for the opportunity again, Chairman Comr, Ranking Member Lynch. Not sure what to say after today's experience, almost eight hours of sitting here not doing the work of the people of the state of New York. But here's what I want to say.
▶ 8:08:16My number one priority has always been and always will be keeping New Yorkers safe. I believe our policies and our laws as implemented do. Second point I want to make. I want to express my absolute outrage on what we've seen happen to a US senator in the United States of America. Regardless of what anyone does, to have someone like that treated like a common criminal, as if he was a threat, and throw him down and have to handcuff him with three people shocks the conscience.
▶ 8:08:43As a former member of this body, I hope we'll all stand up and condemn this and say we can do better. This is a great country. Let's make sure we ensure that it stays great. Thank you. And and Miss M. Sky Perman, I I just want to say thank you to to you for for your your help here today. Thank you. Thank you, the Raiki member. And uh I'm going to assume you all haven't seen the entire tape, the beginning.
▶ 8:09:07I'm sure MSNBC or or whoever sent you the clips have only shown you the end, but uh I think it'll be interesting when you see the entire clip of the incident with the the the senator. Uh before we close, I want to thank the Abraham family again for attending today. Uh the purpose of this hearing is to is to try to get the illegal immigrant uh the criminal illegal immigrants out of this country.
▶ 8:09:33And uh I think that's a goal that uh overwhelming majority of Americans have. Uh the governor said under oath that they were not sanctuary states and they would cooperate with the federal government. We'll see if that happens. Uh that's good to hear, but we'll we'll see if that happens.
▶ 8:09:54So uh with that and without objection all members have five legislative days within which to submit materials and additional written questions for the witnesses which will be forwarded to the witness if if there's no further business. Again I want to thank uh the witnesses for being here today. I know it's a long day. Uh thank you so much and thank you for your service. So without objection the committee stands adjourned.