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Gov. Kathy Hochul to testify at congressional hearing on sanctuary states
By
Arya Sundaram
Published May 7, 2025
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By
Arya Sundaram
Published May 7, 2025
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New York state Gov. Kathy Hochul plans to testify at a congressional panel next month about the state’s immigration sanctuary policies.
The Republican-led House Oversight Committee has called on Hochul to appear with fellow Democrats, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, has already requested that the governors turn over documents and communications about the states’ sanctuary statuses as part of a larger investigation into cities and states that have official policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration officers. The Trump administration and congressional Republicans have launched a full-scale legal attack on migrants and those who harbor them.
Avi Small, a spokesperson the governor, said Hochul voluntarily agreed to participate in the June 12 hearing and “will reiterate what she’s said dozens of times: New York cooperates with federal immigration officials to deport violent criminals, but absolutely does not support cruel actions that tear families apart or rip children away from their parents.”
The governors’ testimony will follow a similar hearing that featured New York City Mayor Eric Adams and other mayors of so-called sanctuary cities.
Hochul has upheld an executive order signed by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2017 that bars state employees — including law enforcement officers — from disclosing information to help with immigration enforcement unless they are legally required to do so.
Comer’s letter to Hochul highlights her comments on a progressive talk show blasting “renegade counties” choosing to enter into agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. On Long Island, the Nassau County Police Department signed an agreement with ICE in March that grants deputized officers broad authority to interrogate and arrest migrants without a warrant for immigration law violations.
“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,” Comer said in a statement. “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 February, the Department of Justice sued the state of New York over its so-called “Green Light Law,” passed in 2019, which prevents the state Department of Motor Vehicles from giving records to immigration authorities unless provided with a court order or judicial warrant.
The Trump administration is also suing Illinois and New York for policies that it claims impede immigration enforcement efforts.
Tagged
new york city
Politics
Asylum Seekers
immigration
Arya Sundaram
Arya is a reporter covering race and justice. Got a tip? Email: [email protected] or reach Arya on Signal at 512-650-8767.
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