Latest news with #sanctuaryPolicies
Fox News
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Blue state GOP lawmaker says major sanctuary city lawsuit is 'encouraging,' but urges further crackdown
California Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley praised the Department of Justice's lawsuit against Los Angeles's sanctuary policies as "encouraging" while stressing the underlying need for more congressional action in the wake of the anti-ICE protests and riots in the city. The DOJ on Monday announced the lawsuit, which makes the argument that the city's policies "impede" federal immigration authorities and that ICE agents are specifically discriminated against. "I think that the lawsuit is encouraging, because, when you just look at what's going on here, you have a state policy, and in the case of LA, a city policy, that's whole purpose is to interfere with the operations of the federal government, pursuant to the policies of a duly enacted president, which is not the way our system works," the Republican told Fox News Digital in an interview. "Immigration is under the province of the federal government. That is the constitutional responsibility of the federal government, and the supremacy clause suggests that states and localities cannot act to contravene the federal government in enforcing federal law," Kiley added. The civil unrest in Los Angeles in June as ICE conducted operations in the region prompted Kiley to introduce the "No Tax Dollars for Riots Act," specifically taking aim at nonprofit groups that received taxpayer dollars, but he says could have played a role in "organizing unlawful riots." "It's called the No Tax Dollars for Riots Act. Pretty common sense idea. Really not something we should have to legislate on, but unfortunately, we have seen examples like we just witnessed in L.A.," he said, adding that groups found "aiding and abetting riots" would lose their ability to get taxpayer-funded grants and lose their tax-exempt status under his bill. The Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) is now the subject of a GOP-led congressional investigation, as the group strongly denies any ties to the violence that unfolded on the streets of LA. Kiley specifically pointed to the group's $34 million in taxpayer funding, largely from the Golden State, as inspiration for the legislation. "Let us be clear, these congressional letters are a coordinated effort to prevent us from doing the good and peaceful work that's part of the CHIRLA way since its inception in 1986 — when we were founded to serve, represent, and uplift immigrants in the United States with the purpose of ensuring justice for all. The CHIRLA way has been visible daily since day one but now we represent a threat to the current administration's racist and anti-immigrant agenda," Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, said in a statement on Monday about the congressional investigation. "These threats, including the false and baseless allegations of wrongdoing, will not stop our momentum. We will remain visible, undeterred, and more committed than ever to our mission. Our mandate is to serve the community because they need and deserve it. That has been and will continue to be the CHIRLA way," she continued. President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Kiley's proposal on Saturday. "CONGRESSMAN KEVIN KILEY'S, 'NO TAX DOLLARS FOR RIOTS' legislation, should be passed immediately. I am hereby instructing my Administration not to pay ANY money to these radicalized groups, regardless of the legislation. They get paid to incite riots, burn down or destroy a city, then come back to the trough to get money to help rebuild it. NO MORE MONEY!!!" the president posted to Truth Social.
Fox News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Chicago resident fires back at liberal governor's pledge to shield migrants from ICE raids
Chicago resident Cata Truss is none too happy with Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker's defense of Illinois' sanctuary policies, criticizing a pledge he made on Capitol Hill last week to stand in the way of Trump border czar Tom Homan by protecting illegal immigrants who, in his words, "don't deserve to be frightened in their communities." "We are livid," she told "Fox & Friends First" on Tuesday. "And let me tell you something, we are not insensitive to undocumented persons here. We know that it is a struggle." "I get people asking me all the time, 'Do you think it's wrong for people to want to live the American dream?' No, it's not wrong for people to want to live the American dream, but what is wrong is for Americans here in America to not be able to realize the American Dream because we have elected officials who want to do things with our money that does not benefit the people who are paying into the tax bracket," she added. Truss has been an outspoken critic of her city and state's Democratic leadership in light of the migrant crisis that exploded under the Biden administration. Even as a Democrat, she sued the city of Chicago over housing for illegal immigrants, calling on the city to remove its sanctuary status in January 2024 due to the squeeze on community resources. Pritzker pledged to stand in Homan's way and defend people who don't deserve to feel "threatened" or "terrorized" during last week's immigration hearing with blue state governors on Capitol Hill. "I would rather that he came and arrested me than do that to the people of my state," he said. Truss has previously insisted that Chicago residents are unhappy with the migrant crisis and that those who did not show up to vote in the 2024 election were protesting democratic policies. "In spite of what you may hear our mayor and Gov. Pritzker say about how Chicagoans feel and where we stand, we are not happy about what is happening here," she said earlier this year. "So, we're excited that President Trump is in office. We are excited that Tom Homan and his team is coming here to help us out of this mess that our mayor and governor seem to be content on keeping us in."
New York Times
13-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Republicans in Congress Grill Democratic Governors on Immigration
Congressional Republicans on Thursday questioned and criticized three Democratic governors on their states' immigration policies, amplifying national tensions set off by President Trump's hard-line immigration enforcement efforts and his military deployments to California as anti-deportation protests spread across the country. The acrimony was evident throughout an eight-hour hearing, held by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. All three governors — Tim Walz of Minnesota, JB Pritzker of Illinois and Kathy Hochul of New York — used part of their testimony to condemn the Trump administration for deploying troops to Los Angeles against the wishes of the city's mayor, Karen Bass, and California's governor, Gavin Newsom. 'As we speak, an American city has been militarized over the objections of their governor,' Ms. Hochul said in her opening statement. 'At the outset, I just want to say that this is a clear abuse of power and nothing short of an extraordinary assault on our American values.' Throughout the contentious hearing, Republican lawmakers focused intently on undocumented immigrants whom the authorities have accused of violent crimes, extrapolating from individual cases to frame the immigration debate as being about lawlessness and criminality. They tried to needle the governors over policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration agencies or protect undocumented immigrants against detention or deportation. 'Let me be clear: Sanctuary policies don't protect Americans,' said Representative James R. Comer, Republican of Kentucky, the committee's chairman. 'They protect criminal illegal aliens.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CBS News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Gov. Kathy Hochul, Rep. Elise Stefanik spar during House hearing on sanctuary city policies
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul joined two other governors on Capitol Hill on Thursday to testify before Congress about their states' sanctuary policies. During questioning, Hochul got into a back and forth with upstate New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, who has often criticized the governor and has hinted at possibly running against her in 2026. Stefanik confronts Hochul Hochul, JB Pritzker of Illinois and Tim Walz of Minnesota were called before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, where they're facing questions from Republicans on the committee who see their states as hotbeds of violence due to illegal immigration, and from Democrats who believe these sanctuary policies are more important now than ever. Stefanik directed the entirety of her time towards Hochul, referencing multiple violent crimes in New York City the congresswoman blames the governor's sanctuary policies on. The city has seen arrests of protesters at the hands of the NYPD every night this week, with police officials maintaining they don't require the help of the National Guard or the Marines, for that matter, in handling the situation. "You are not advocating on behalf of these victims. You are shielding illegals. Even in your opening statement, you prioritize illegals first," Stefanik said. "That is not true," Hochul responded. "Rather than going after the viral moment, I suggest you look at the facts." "No, no, no, I'm looking out for New Yorkers," Stefanik shot back. Back in early May, Stefanik criticized Hochul's job performance, seemingly setting the stage for her own run at governor. "Because look at the crises that Kathy Hochul and single-party Democrat rule have delivered to New Yorkers," Stefanik said at the time, adding she believes Hochul is the worst governor in the country. "I dub that of Andrew Cuomo, not thinking anybody could make it worse. Kathy Hochul makes the impossible possible. She is the worst governor, and it's showing in her poor, abysmal approval ratings," Stefanik said. Hochul calls situation in L.A. "a flagrant abuse of power" Hochul began her aforementioned opening statement by addressing the situation in Los Angeles, saying, "An American city has been militarized, over the objections of their governor. At the outset, I just want to say that this is a flagrant abuse of power." It's a situation the governor is clearly trying to avoid in her own state, as tensions rise with stepped-up U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies. Read more: Violent protests in New York City over ICE raids will not be tolerated, Mayor Eric Adams says Hochul was asked by Democratic Rep. Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts what it would mean for the city if President Trump, as he did in California, sent the military in without her request. "I have more confidence in our law enforcement than perhaps the president does. We ought to step back and say this is an overreach of epic proportions," Hochul responded.
CBS News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Watch Live: Blue state governors testify on "sanctuary" policies amid L.A. protests over immigration raids
Washington — Three Democratic governors are defending their states' policies toward migrants and dispute claims of failing to cooperate with federal authorities, according to prepared remarks that will be delivered Thursday before a House oversight panel. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are among the witnesses testifying before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on so-called "sanctuary policies." "Let me be clear: Sanctuary policies don't protect Americans. They protect criminal illegal aliens," Oversight Chair James Comer, a Kentucky Republican will say in his opening statement. The governors' appearances come as President Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom remain embroiled in a legal and political standoff over the deployment of the National Guard troops and Marines to quell immigration protests in Los Angeles. Demonstrations have spread to other U.S. cities, including New York and Chicago, following a series of deportation raids. The hearing "Minnesota is not a sanctuary state," Walz will tell lawmakers. "It is ridiculous to suggest that Minnesota — a state that is over 1,500 miles away from the Southern border and a thousand miles from lawmakers in Washington, D.C., who decide and implement border policy — is somehow responsible for a failure of immigration enforcement." The former vice presidential candidate has drawn intense scrutiny not only over immigration policy but also for his handling of social justice protests that broke out in Minneapolis following the death of George Floyd in 2020. Trump administration officials have cited Walz' actions to justify the president's decision to federalize troops in California. While Walz does not appear to directly address the controversy in his testimony, he says he is "disappointed" in the federal government's overall approach. "As governor of Minnesota, it is incumbent on me to use the state's resources to help Minnesota families—not turn those resources over to the administration so they can stage another photo-op in tactical gear or accidentally deport more children without observing due process," Walz is set to say. Ahead of the hearing, the GOP-led panel released a video compilation of various news clips accusing the governors of "shielding" undocumented immigrants and "causing chaos" in their states. A memo from Hochul's office suggested the hearing could be "derailed by wild accusations" and "twisted characterizations" but noted the governor's position is "clear" when it comes to supporting strong borders and comprehensive immigration reform. "New York state cooperates with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in criminal cases," Hochul says in her prepared testimony. "And our values as New Yorkers demand that we treat those who arrive here in search of a better life with dignity and reject policies that tear law-abiding families apart." Hochul also addresses the influx of more than 220,000 migrants to New York City since early 2022, many of whom were bussed from border states, calling it "an unprecedented humanitarian crisis." "We have responded to this crisis with both compassion and pragmatism," Hochul states."And as a result, we largely prevented what could have become an additional crisis — one of street homelessness and tent cities." Pritzker says Illinois also stepped up to the challenge, and blamed the lack of federal intervention and cooperation from border states for exacerbating the problem. "As governor, my responsibility is to ensure that all Illinoisans feel safe in their homes, their businesses, and their communities," Pritzker is prepared to say. "That is why my administration continued to make significant investments in public safety, even as our resources were strained because of the lack of federal support during the crisis — expanding our state police force and investing in efforts to reduce gun violence." Congressional focus on "sanctuary" polices Thursday's session follows a March hearing on sanctuary cities with four Democratic mayors: Eric Adams, of New York, Mike Johnston of Denver, Brandon Johnson of Chicago and Michelle Wu of Boston. Comer launched an investigation in January into "sanctuary jurisdictions," including states, counties or cities, to examine their impact on public safety and federal immigration enforcement. President Trump has vowed to crack down on localities that don't back his immigration agenda. Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security removed its list of sanctuary jurisdictions after several cities challenged the findings.
