Gov. Pritzker defends Illinois’ sanctuary policies in heated Congressional hearing
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Democrat Governors Grilled on Sanctuary Policies, Illegal Alien Crimes at Hill Hearing
JB Pritzker of Illinois, Kathy Hochul of New York, and Tim Walz of Minnesota testified at the House Oversight Committee. The hearing came just days after riots broke out in Los Angeles against the enforcement of federal immigration law by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security defines sanctuary jurisdictions as “cities, counties, and states that are deliberately obstructing the enforcementof federal immigration laws and endangering American citizens” Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., the acting ranking member of the panel, in his opening statement accused the Trump administration of being Nazis. “I’m proud of my Democratic colleagues who are willing to stand up to this thuggery. We all should be,” Lynch said. The Minnesota governor declared that “Minnesota is not even a sanctuary state.” “And I would say in all of these cases, we would work with ICE to remove them,’ HochUL continued in a moment of crosstalk between the governor and congresswoman.
Govs. JB Pritzker of Illinois, Kathy Hochul of New York, and Tim Walz of Minnesota testified at the hearing, which came just days after riots broke out in Los Angeles against the enforcement of federal immigration law by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Those protests quickly spread across the country to cities as far-flung as New York and Dallas and Austin in Texas.
The Department of Homeland Security defines sanctuary jurisdictions as “cities, counties, and states that are deliberately obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws and endangering American citizens.”
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., ripped into fellow New Yorker Hochul, raising several cases of horrific crimes said to have been committed by illegal aliens in that state. The New York congresswoman repeatedly asked Hochul if she knew the names of the accused perpetrators of the crimes, and the New York governor was unable to correctly identify any of them.
Stefanik asked Hochul about Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, an illegal alien from Guatemala who is accused of setting on fire a sleeping woman, Debrina Kawam, on the subway in December, resulting in her being burned alive. He has been charged with one count each of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and first-degree arson.
Zapeta-Calil had previously been deported from the U.S. in 2018. ICE issued an order to detain Zapeta-Calil after he was arrested, but it has been denied access due to New York sanctuary policies, according to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
“I just want to say this: These crimes are horrific,” Hochul said, adding, “I condemn them.”
“Because of your sanctuary state policies,” Stefanik responded.
“And I would say in all of these cases, we would work with ICE to remove them,” Hochul continued in a moment of crosstalk between the governor and congresswoman.
“You did not in this case,” Stefanik pointed out.
Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the committee, said, “Unfortunately, there are too many instances where criminal illegal aliens have harmed Americans.”
Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., the acting ranking member of the panel, in his opening statement accused the Trump administration of being Nazis.
“I’m proud of my Democratic colleagues who are willing to stand up to this thuggery. Trump is a wannabe gangster, and he’s showing the world what he’s about,” Lynch said.
“And I’m proud. You know, my dad served in the Second World War. He 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,” the Massachusetts congressman said.
For his part, Walz appeared to shy away from the term sanctuary state. The Minnesota governor declared that “Minnesota is not even a sanctuary state.”
“[The] Minnesota legislature has passed no such bill, and I have signed no such law,” he said.
During his 2018 gubernatorial campaign, Walz said, “My position on Minnesota becoming a sanctuary state boils down to who has the responsibility for enforcing immigration laws,” adding:
Here’s what I believe: Congress has given federal agencies the authority to enforce immigration laws in Minnesota, and I support their doing so.
The Minnesota governor also signed state legislation that gave as many as 81,000 illegal aliens Minnesota driver’s licenses.
Comer made the point that Walz, who ran unsuccessfully for vice president in 2024, had called ICE “Donald Trump’s modern-day Gestapo” at a recent commencement speech at the University of Minnesota law school.
The Kentucky Republican referenced the case of Katherine Abraham, 20, and Chloe Polzin, 21, who were killed when the car they were in was rear-ended at a stoplight in Urbana, Illinois. Julio Cucul Bol, an illegal alien from Guatemala, has been charged “with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence causing death, two counts of leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death, and two counts of reckless homicide,” according to local news media.
Abraham’s father and stepmother were present at the House panel’s hearing.
Cucul Bol had been living in America with false papers identifying him as a Mexican national.
Comer asked Pritzker if Cucul Bol should have been in the U.S. in the first place and had a right to be in the U.S.
“No, 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 to determine. I can tell you that in the state of Illinois we follow the law,” the Illinois governor said.
WATCH: Democrat Governors Defend Sanctuary City Disasters
The House Committee on Government Oversight and Reform invited Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. Democrat legislators and their coordinating staffers offered softball questions to help the
The House Committee on Government Oversight and Reform, headed by Rep. James Comer (R-KY), invited Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Democrat legislators and their coordinating staffers offered softball questions to help the Democrat governors roll out their poll-tested, rehearsed claims that President Trump’s enforcement policy is improper.
Republican legislators, however, lambasted the governors for inviting the chaos, crime, corruption, and poverty that accompany mass migration into American cities.
Watch it all here:
Democratic governors defend immigration policies before Republican-led House panel
Republican Congress members clashed repeatedly with the Democratic governors. Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik said people were raped, molested and burned alive by immigrants. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the crimes were “horrific’ and “heartbreaking” The House Oversight Committee has been a partisan battleground in recent months.. The term generally refers to governments with policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The list later was removed from the department’s website after criticism that it errantly included some local governments that support Trump”s immigration policies. The Department of Homeland Security has sued Colorado, Illinois, New York and several cities — including Chicago and Rochester, New. York — asserting their policies violate the U.S. Constitution or federal law.“As we speak, an American city has been militarized over the objections of their governor,’’ New York governor said. “I just want to say that this is a flagrant abuse of power.”
Members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform sat in front of large, full-color posters showing men who they said were in the country without legal permission when they were arrested for crimes in Illinois, Minnesota and New York — home of the governors testifying before the committee.
Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer began the hearing by introducing the family of a young woman killed in a hit-and-run traffic crash in Illinois, suggesting its sanctuary policies had facilitated the illegal presence of the driver of the other vehicle.
“Sanctuary polices do not protect Americans, they protect criminal illegal aliens,” Comer said.
Republican Congress members clashed repeatedly with the Democratic governors, often recounting descriptions of violent crimes allegedly committed by immigrants in the U.S. illegally who were not previously detained by local police.
At one point, Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury, of New Mexico, interjected to denounce the “theatrics.”
“Welcome everyone to the Oversight reality TV show,” Stansbury said. “I know Mr. Trump loves himself some good TV, and today is not disappointing.”
There’s no legal definition of a sanctuary jurisdiction, but the term generally refers to governments with policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Courts previously have upheld the legality of such laws.
But Trump’s administration has sued Colorado, Illinois, New York and several cities — including Chicago and Rochester, New York — asserting their policies violate the U.S. Constitution or federal law.
Illinois, Minnesota and New York also were among 14 states and hundreds of cities and counties recently listed by the Department of Homeland Security as “sanctuary jurisdictions defying federal immigration law.” The list later was removed from the department’s website after criticism that it errantly included some local governments that support Trump’s immigration policies.
As Trump steps up immigration enforcement, some Democratic-led states have intensified their resistance by strengthening state laws restricting cooperation with immigration agents. Following clashes between crowds of protesters and immigration agents in Los Angeles, Trump deployed the National Guard to protect federal buildings and agents, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom accused Trump of declaring “a war” on the underpinnings of American democracy.
“As we speak, an American city has been militarized over the objections of their governor,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “At the outset, I just want to say that this is a flagrant abuse of power.”
Some of the most fiery exchanges involved Hochul and Republicans from her home state. Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, who has been named as a potential 2026 gubernatorial candidate in New York, described instances in which she said people were raped, molested and burned alive by immigrants who had entered or remained in the U.S. illegally.
“You are not advocating on behalf of these victims, you are shielding illegals,” Stefanik said to Hochul while interrupting the governor’s attempted responses.
Hochul said the crimes were “horrific” and “heartbreaking” and insisted “we cooperate with ICE; we cooperate with law enforcement” in criminal cases.
Republican Rep. Nick Langworthy, of New York, later implied that Hochul’s policies were partly to blame for the death of University of Georgia student Laken Riley, who was killed last year by a Venezuelan man who had entered the U.S. illegally. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the man had been arrested by New York police in 2023 but was released before ICE could ask New York officials to hold him.
Pressed further by other Republican questioners, Hochul expressed sympathy for Riley’s family but said “this has nothing to do with our civil enforcement of the laws.”
Gubernatorial orders prohibit New York officials from inquiring about or disclosing a person’s immigration status to federal authorities, unless required by law.
Hochul said law enforcement officers still can cooperate with federal immigration authorities when people are convicted of or under investigation for crimes. Since she took office in 2021, Hochul said the state has initiated the transfer of more than 1,300 incarcerated noncitizens to ICE at the completion of their state sentences.
“What we don’t do is civil immigration enforcement — that’s the federal government’s job,” Hochul said.
The House Oversight Committee has long been a partisan battleground, and in recent months it has turned its focus to immigration policy. Thursday’s hearing follows a similar one in March in which the Republican-led committee questioned the Democratic mayors of Chicago, Boston, Denver and New York about sanctuary policies.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the first to testify, rejected the assertion that Minnesota is a sanctuary state. It has no statewide law protecting immigrants in the U.S. illegally from deportation, though Minneapolis and St. Paul both restrict the extent to which police and city employees can cooperate with immigration enforcement.
“Enforcing immigration law is not the role of local and state governments,” said Walz, who sent out a political fundraising email touting his congressional testimony.
Some laws signed by Walz have secured benefits for people regardless of immigration status. But at least one of those is getting rolled back. The Minnesota Legislature, meeting in a special session, passed legislation Monday to repeal a 2023 law that allowed adults in the U.S. illegally to be covered under a state-run health care program for the working poor. Walz insisted on maintaining eligibility for children who aren’t in the country legally,
Heavily Democratic Chicago has been a sanctuary city for decades. In 2017, then-Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican, signed legislation creating statewide protections for immigrants. The Illinois Trust Act prohibits police from searching, arresting or detaining people solely because of their immigration status. But it allows local authorities to hold people for federal immigration authorities if there’s a valid criminal warrant.
Gov. JB Pritzker, who succeeded Rauner in 2019, said that violent criminals “have no place on our streets, and if they are undocumented, I want them out of Illinois and out of our country.”
“Illinois follows the law. But let me be clear, we expect the federal government to follow the law too,” added Pritzker, who has been among Trump’s most outspoken opponents and is considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate. “We will not participate in abuses of power. We will not violate court orders.”
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Lieb reported from Jefferson City, Mo. Also contributing were Associated Press writers Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, N.Y.; Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis; and Sophia Tareen in Chicago.
Pritzker defends Illinois’ sanctuary laws, blasts Trump administration ‘abuses of power’
Gov. JB Pritzker appeared before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. He defended Illinois’ sanctuary laws and blasted the Trump administration for “abuses of power” The appearance comes as scenes of unrest play out in Los Angeles amid the federal government’s mass deportation efforts. President Trump has threatened to withhold federal funds from ‘sanctuary’ cities and states. The Department of Justice claims Illinois TRUST Act and Chicago’ Welcoming City Ordinance are invalid due to the Supremacy Clause.
“Illinois follows the law, but let me be clear: we expect the federal government to follow the law too,” Pritzker told the Republican-led House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. “We will not participate in abuses of power. We will not violate court orders. We will not ignore the Constitution. We will not defy the Supreme Court, and we will not take away people’s rights to peacefully protest.”
Pritzker’s appearance before the body follows an April invitation from the committee’s Republican chairman, Rep. James Comer of Kentucky. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also appeared on invitation, with the trio of Democrats answering questions facing posters of undocumented immigrants charged with violent crimes.
Thursday’s hearing comes as scenes of unrest play out in Los Angeles amid the federal government’s mass deportation efforts. President Trump has threatened to withhold federal funds from ‘sanctuary’ cities and states.
The appearance on a national stage was a big moment for Pritzker, who’s been floated as a potential 2028 presidential candidate. The great-grandson of a Ukrainian immigrant, Pritzker used his opening statements to highlight Illinois’ diversity and discuss the work done to support migrants who were bussed to the state from the southern border.
“I have seen firsthand how states have had to shoulder the consequences of a broken immigration system,” Pritzker testified. “I’m proud of how we have responded by promoting public safety, treating people with dignity, supporting our economy and respecting the rule of law.”
To prepare for the appearance, Pritzker retained a Washington, D.C. law firm. A WGN source says the billionaire paid for their services out of his own pocket. He also got an assist from a former White House counsel to President Joe Biden.
Chicago’s policy that prevents city officials, including police officers, from cooperating with federal immigration authorities has been in place, in some form, for 40 years.
In 2017, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner signed a bill which barred police from arresting anyone solely due to their immigration status. Pritzker signed further legislation in 2021 with additional protections.
The Department of Justice claims Illinois’ TRUST Act and Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance are invalid due to the Supremacy Clause.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Dem Governors Defend Sanctuary Policies in Heated House Hearing
Dem Governors Defend Sanctuary Policies in Heated House Hearing. GOP accused sanctuary laws of protecting undocumented criminals, while Democrats said immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility. Governors from Illinois, Minnesota, and New York emphasized public safety and compliance with the law amid increasing federal pressure. House Republicans used the hearing to publicly challenge the policies of blue states that limit cooperation with federal immigration agencies like ICE. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul accused Trump of abusing executive power by sending troops into Los Angeles without the state’s consent, describing it as a breach of democratic norms. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz distanced his state from the sanctuary label, stating: “Enforcing immigration law is not the role of local governments like Minneapolis and Minneapolis.” New York has transferred over 1,300 incarcerated noncitizens to ICE since she took office, adding that her administration does not obstruct criminal investigations. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker stresses removal of undocumented violent offenders, while warning against federal overreach. DOJ lawsuits challenge state policies shielding driver’s license data.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, center, speaks, as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, left, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, right, sit nearby during a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing, Thursday, June 12, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Democratic Governors Defend Immigration Stances Before GOP-Led House Panel – Quick Looks
House Oversight Committee scrutinizes sanctuary policies in Democratic-led states amid Trump’s immigration crackdown.
in Democratic-led states amid Trump’s immigration crackdown. Large posters of alleged undocumented offenders used by Republicans to emphasize claims of rising crime.
to emphasize claims of rising crime. Govs. Hochul, Pritzker, and Walz testify , defending cooperation with ICE only in criminal cases.
, defending cooperation with ICE only in criminal cases. Chairman James Comer blames sanctuary policies for public safety failures , citing emotional victim testimonies.
, citing emotional victim testimonies. Trump administration lawsuits target sanctuary jurisdictions , from New York to Colorado.
, from New York to Colorado. Gov. Kathy Hochul calls the militarization of Los Angeles an “abuse of power” , echoing broader Democratic concerns.
, echoing broader Democratic concerns. Gov. Tim Walz denies Minnesota is a sanctuary state , while defending benefits for immigrant children.
, while defending benefits for immigrant children. Gov. JB Pritzker stresses removal of undocumented violent offenders , while warning against federal overreach.
, while warning against federal overreach. DOJ lawsuits challenge state policies shielding driver’s license data , particularly New York’s Green Light Law.
, particularly New York’s Green Light Law. Democrats insist immigration is a federal duty, not a local or state one, warning of “abuses of power.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul are sworn in during a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing, Thursday, June 12, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Deep Look: House GOP Targets Sanctuary State Policies as Democratic Governors Push Back
WASHINGTON — June 12, 2025 — Tensions ran high in the Capitol as Democratic governors from New York, Illinois, and Minnesota testified before the Republican-led House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, defending their states’ immigration policies while facing aggressive scrutiny over so-called “sanctuary” laws.
With President Donald Trump intensifying immigration enforcement, including deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles, House Republicans used the hearing to publicly challenge the policies of blue states that limit cooperation with federal immigration agencies like ICE.
A Visual Campaign of Accusation
Committee Chair Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) opened the session flanked by posters of undocumented immigrants accused of crimes, including fatal accidents and violent offenses. He tied these incidents directly to sanctuary policies, stating:
“Sanctuary policies do not protect Americans; they protect criminal illegal aliens.”
Democratic governors pushed back, emphasizing that their laws align with constitutional standards and court rulings that have previously upheld the right of states and cities to set boundaries on federal cooperation.
Hochul: LA Militarization a “Flagrant Abuse”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul accused Trump of abusing executive power by sending troops into Los Angeles without the state’s consent, describing it as a breach of democratic norms.
“An American city has been militarized over the objections of their governor,” Hochul said, calling it “a flagrant abuse of power.”
Hochul also sparred with Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), who accused her of “shielding illegals” and prioritizing political interests over public safety. Hochul countered by highlighting that New York has transferred over 1,300 incarcerated noncitizens to ICE since she took office, adding that her administration does not obstruct criminal investigations.
Walz Denies “Sanctuary State” Label
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz distanced his state from the sanctuary label, stating:
“Enforcing immigration law is not the role of local and state governments.”
While cities like Minneapolis and St. Paul limit cooperation with ICE, Walz emphasized that the state itself has no law barring enforcement cooperation. His remarks came days after the Minnesota Legislature repealed a law extending state healthcare to undocumented adults, though Walz maintained coverage for children.
Pritzker: Rule of Law Cuts Both Ways
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker took a firm stance, asserting that violent undocumented offenders should be deported, but only through legal and constitutional means.
“Illinois follows the law. But let me be clear, we expect the federal government to follow the law too.”
Pritzker defended the Illinois Trust Act, which limits arrests based solely on immigration status but allows cooperation with ICE when valid criminal warrants exist. He also criticized Trump’s broader immigration policies as “abuses of power,” aligning with a growing chorus of Democratic leaders.
Federal Lawsuits, Local Clashes
Trump’s administration has escalated legal action against states and cities deemed sanctuary jurisdictions, including New York, Colorado, Illinois, and Rochester. One such lawsuit targets New York’s 2019 Green Light Law, which allows undocumented immigrants to receive driver’s licenses while shielding DMV data from ICE.
Republicans claim these laws obstruct immigration enforcement, while Democrats counter that they enhance public safety by fostering trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities.
A National Showdown Over Immigration
The hearing underscored a growing partisan rift over immigration policy as Trump ramps up enforcement and Democrats push back. While Republicans framed the issue around crime prevention and national security, Democrats defended their approaches as constitutional, humane, and effective in protecting public trust.
With Trump’s military intervention in California and rising federal-state tensions, the fight over immigration enforcement is now a defining political clash in the 2025 legislative landscape.
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