Walz, Hochul, Pritzker face off with Congress as Newsom battles Trump
Democratic "sanctuary governors" will face a barrage of tough questions at a highly anticipated congressional hearing Thursday morning, as California Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Donald Trump continue to throw jabs over immigration policy.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker will testify before the House Oversight Committee and sources tell Fox that Los Angeles riots over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and Newsom's battle with Trump will likely be prominent topics of discussion.
Fox News Digital obtained opening remarks to be delivered by Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Kentucky, which will set the tone for the fiery hearing.
"These Governors handcuff law enforcement from doing their jobs, harbor predators, and call it 'compassion,'" Comer's opening remarks explain. "It is NOT compassion, and it is costing lives, hurting Americans, and draining taxpayer money. Congress must consider whether to defund every single penny of federal dollars going to cities and states that prioritize criminal aliens over the American people."
"Americans want a return to common sense. The Trump Administration and this Republican Congress aims to restore our safety and sovereignty. It is past time for these governors to put Americans first."
All three Democratic governors testifying at the hearing sided with Newsom in a statement Sunday addressing Trump's use of the National Guard to dispel riots that have been raging over the past few days in Los Angeles. Rioters set cars on fire, looted businesses, and clashed with law enforcement.
"We stand with Governor Newsom who has made it clear that violence is unacceptable and that local authorities should be able to do their jobs without the chaos of this federal interference and intimidation," the statement signed by Walz, Pritzker, and Hochul reads.
Since LA's riots, protests over President Trump's immigration policies have since spread to Pritzker and Hochul's states on Tuesday with large gatherings in Lower Manhattan in New York and Federal Plaza in Chicago, blocking off streets and causing disruptions.
Fox News Digital also received J.B. Pritzker's opening remarks, where the governor and potential 2028 presidential candidate said his state "could not simply ignore the suffering" illegal migrants faced in Illionis.
"The crisis at the southern border in recent years has been devastating; the response from some of our political leaders even more so," Prtizker's statement reads. "As individuals fleeing poverty, violence, and persecution arrived at our border, our nation's leaders were confronted with a choice: would we do everything possible to make the promise of America the practice of America?"
"Some border state governors and mayors abandoned our nation's highest ideals – instead of choosing to spend millions of taxpayer dollars to treat people as pawns, busing them to states like ours in a dehumanizing attempt to leverage the crisis for political gain. The State of Illinois chose a different path."
Republican members on the Oversight Committee spoke to Fox News Digital ahead of Thursday's action, saying the three governors testifying "are willing to trade public safety for left-wing virtue signaling."
"Democrat-run sanctuary states shield criminal aliens from federal immigration enforcement, put law enforcement in unnecessary danger, and disregard the safety of millions of Americans," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan told Fox News Digital. "Seventy-seven million people gave President Trump a mandate last November to put an end to the Democrats' prioritization of illegal aliens over American citizens. And he's doing just that."
"To folks like Walz, Hochul and Pritzker, sanctuary state policies are a badge of honor. They are willing to trade public safety for left-wing virtue signaling," said Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, explained to Fox News Digital.
"Perhaps Governor Gavin Newsom will take a break from defying federal authority to tune in and see why Americans are fleeing California in droves to escape his failed policies that invite illegal migrant crime and anarchist thugs," Fallon added.
The stage is set for the hearing, which will take place on Thursday at 10 AM eastern time.
Fox News Digital reached out to Hochul and Walz but did not receive a response.
Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news. Story tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and on X @MizellPreston
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