WASHINGTON – Three Democratic governors are expected to tell Congress in a June 12 hearing that they coordinate with federal immigration authorities to deport convicted criminals but can’t afford to shoulder the burden of tracking down and detaining undocumented immigrants.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in testimony prepared for the House Oversight and Accountability Committee the state transferred more than 1,300 convicts to Immigration and Customs Enforcement since she took office in August 2021.
“But we have to draw a line somewhere,” Hochul said. “New York cannot deputize our state officers to enforce civil immigration violations, such as overstaying a visa.”
The hearing focuses on so-called "sanctuary" jurisdictions where state and local officials restrict cooperation with federal immigration authorities. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to list the jurisdictions and potentially cut off federal funding to them.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, one of the witnesses, said his state hasn't approved sanctuary legislation but that it respects cities and counties that have.
