GOP Leaders Criticize Democratic Governor Ahead of Major Congressional Hearing showdown
GOP Whip Tom Emmer criticizes Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ahead of key committee hearing this week.
House Republican leaders are sharpening their criticism of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz ahead of a highly-anticipated congressional hearing on sanctuary city policies set for later this week. The hearing, which will also feature testimony from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and New York Governor Kathy Hochul, is expected to put a spotlight on how Democratic-led states are handling immigration enforcement and cooperation with federal authorities.
Republican Whip and Minnesota Representative Tom Emmer did not hold back in his remarks, wishing Walz "good luck" before the hearing and sharply attacking what he described as a pro-illegal immigrant agenda. "From hurling outrageous insults against ICE agents to offering a multitude of taxpayer-funded benefits to illegal aliens in Minnesota, Tim Walz's immigration agenda can be summed up easily: pro-illegal alien, anti-Minnesotan," Emmer stated, further predicting that Walz would have trouble defending his record. The comments were paired with a new online video campaign criticizing the governor’s approach to immigration policy.
The upcoming hearing comes at a tense moment, following violent anti-ICE protests over the weekend in Los Angeles and as federal immigration enforcement under the Trump administration shows signs of intensifying. Sanctuary cities—primarily concentrated in Democrat-led jurisdictions—have long been a flashpoint in the nation’s ongoing debate over immigration. These cities often refuse requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for information about detainees, including their arrest or release dates, and they typically decline ICE’s detainer requests to hold individuals beyond their scheduled release.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has said that the committee will demand answers from Walz and the other governors about the impact of these policies on public safety. "The governors of these states must explain why they are prioritizing the protection of criminal illegal aliens over the safety of U.S. citizens," Comer said. He argued that sanctuary policies "only provide sanctuaries for criminal illegal aliens," and characterized the current border situation as "the worst border crisis in U.S. history."
Comer added that while the Trump administration is ramping up efforts to deport criminal illegal immigrants, sanctuary states such as Illinois, Minnesota, and New York have sought to obstruct these actions, setting up a significant clash between state and federal priorities. This battle lines up with a broader national conversation about the balance between compassion for immigrant communities and the enforcement of immigration laws.
The congressional hearing is scheduled to take place Thursday, June 12 at 10 a.m. ET and is expected to draw significant attention both nationally and within the states represented by the governors set to testify. As the immigration debate continues to roil the political landscape, all eyes will be on Capitol Hill this week to see how the governors respond to pointed questions—and mounting criticism—from House Republicans.
