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Walz to testify before US Oversight Committee Thursday as 1 of 3 ‘sanctuary governors’

Gov. Tim Walz is set to appear alongside governors from New York and Illinois over immigration enforcement as part of a hearing with “sanctuary governors.”

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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz discusses the end of the state legislative session on Monday, May 19, 2025, at the state Capitol in St. Paul.
Mary Murphy / Forum News Service

ST. PAUL — Gov. Tim Walz is set to appear before the U.S. House Oversight Committee on Thursday, June 12, to be questioned on Minnesota’s immigration and sanctuary policies.

Walz will be joined in Washington by two other Democratic governors, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, as part of the overall “Hearing with Sanctuary Governors,” according to a press release from the committee.

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Twelve counties across Minnesota have declared themselves “ ” for immigrants: Anoka, Cottonwood, Dakota, Hennepin, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lincoln, Lyon, Nobles, Pipestone, Ramsey and Watonwan, according to the Center for Immigration Studies.

Minnesota has not officially declared itself a “sanctuary” state, and there is no statewide policy limiting local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

The Department of Homeland Security on May 29 of sanctuary cities and counties, listing and Minneapolis and St. Paul as sanctuary jurisdictions. The list has since been removed.

Sheriff Steve Soyka of Stearns County, which was on the DHS list, said he was , and said the county “has always notified ICE when required.” The definitions and scope of what a “sanctuary jurisdiction” is , according to the American Immigration Council.

“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,” Chair of the Oversight Committee Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, said in a June 5 press release. “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.”

The hearing is set for 9 a.m. Central Time and will be livestreamed on this publication’s website.

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Mary Murphy joined Forum Communications in October 2024 as the Minnesota State Correspondent. She can be reached by email at mmurphy@forumcomm.com.
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