Sanctuary state governors to testify June 12
WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) has announced that the governors of Illinois, Minnesota and New York will testify on June 12 at a hearing on their states’ sanctuary policies that shield criminal illegal aliens from immigration enforcement.
“Sanctuary policies only provide sanctuaries for criminal illegal aliens. Former President Biden created the worst border crisis in U.S. history and allowed criminal illegal aliens to flood our communities," Comer said.
"President Trump has ended this crisis and now we have the most secure borders in decades. The Trump Administration is taking decisive action to deport criminal illegal aliens from our nation but reckless sanctuary states like Illinois, Minnesota, and New York are actively seeking to obstruct federal immigration enforcement. The governors of these states must explain why they are prioritizing the protection of criminal illegal aliens over the safety of U.S. citizens, and they must be held accountable.”
In January 2025, Chairman Comer launched an investigation into the policies of sanctuary jurisdictions and their impact on public safety and federal immigration enforcement.
Sanctuary jurisdictions are “states, counties or cities that put some limits on how much they are willing to cooperate with federal agencies’ efforts to deport” illegal aliens. These jurisdictions take it upon themselves to decide what laws they will and will not abide by all for the purpose of shielding removable aliens, especially criminals, from federal law enforcement.
In March, the Oversight Committee held a hearing with four sanctuary mayors: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, and New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
In April, Chairman Comer expanded the Committee’s investigation by calling on Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul to provide documents and communications related to their states’ sanctuary policies and testify before the Committee.