WASHINGTON (NEXTSTAR) – Governors from blue states will be called to testify before Congress Thursday morning about sanctuary policies in their states.
Republicans say they’re to blame for an increase in illegal immigration.
The disagreement is over how much local law enforcement cooperates with immigration enforcement.
Democrats say immigrants feel safer coming forward if they see or are a victim of a crime, if local law enforcement isn’t working with ice.
Republicans say these jurisdictions aren’t doing enough to help with immigration enforcement, especially for people in jail.
Governors Kathy Hochul of New York, J.B. Pritzker from Illinois and the former Democratic candidate for vice president and governor of Minnesota Tim Walz, are expected to testify.
“This is not only, I think illegal, but also a diminution of the readiness and focus of the military,” said Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.).
On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was in the hot seat over the Trump administration’s use of federal troops in Los Angeles.
“We’re very proud that the National Guard and the Marines are on the streets defending the ICE agents and they will continue to do that,” said Hegseth.
President Donald Trump ordered 4,000 California National Guard troops into Los Angeles to assist ICE agents with immigration enforcement and protect federal buildings during protests.
The president also activated 700 U.S. Marines, but the head of the task force says the Marines are still in training and weren’t in L.A. on Wednesday.
“If you didn’t have the National Guard and the Marines, you would probably have a city that was burning to the ground,” said Trump.
Across the country demonstrators have mobilized against ICE raids.
California Governor Gavin Newsom says federal troops have inflamed tensions in Los Angeles.
The Migration Policy Institute says about 950,000 people in L.A. County don’t have legal immigration status.
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