Latest news with #NorthSTARAct
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
LIVE: Gov. Walz to face grilling at Congressional hearing on sanctuary states
The Brief Minnesota Gov. Walz has been called to testify Thursday morning at a hearing on sanctuary states. Walz will testify alongside New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. While several large Minnesota counties and cities have sanctuary polices, Minnesota isn't considered a sanctuary state. ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has been called to testify as part of a Congressional hearing on sanctuary states on Thursday. What we know Gov. Walz is one of three Democratic governors set to testify on Thursday as part of a House committee on Overnight and Government Reform hearing on sanctuary states. The hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. CT. FOX 9 will stream the full hearing in the player above. The backstory It's worth noting that while major cities, like Minneapolis and St. Paul, have sanctuary policies protecting undocumented immigrants. Minnesota doesn't have sanctuary policies in place. READ MORE: Minneapolis PD memo tells officers not to assist with immigration enforcement In recent years, advocates have pushed for the North STAR Act that would prevent state authorities from working with federal immigration enforcement. But, the bill has failed to make it through the legislature. However, in May, Homeland Security did identify 20 Minnesota counties and cities as "sanctuary jurisdictions." In April, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer of Kentucky called on Walz to appear at the House hearing, as part of the House's review of sanctuary policies and their impact on public safety. Local perspective Last month, the Trump administration criticized comments by Gov. Walz, which compared ICE to the Gestapo, the Nazi police force. A Walz spokesperson responded, pointing out President Trump made similar comparisons just a year earlier, comparing the Biden administration to the Gestapo. Just last week, a criminal investigation involving ICE agents sparked controversy in Minneapolis. As a federal task force raided a Mexican restaurant at Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue, a crowd of protesters gathered to thwart what they thought was an ICE raid. The protests ended with activists clashing with law enforcement. This week, FOX 9 learned that the investigation on Lake Street was linked to the discovery of 900 pounds of meth in Burnsville.
Fox News
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Proposed bill would require law enforcement in blue state to cooperate with ICE: 'A line of communication'
Minnesota lawmakers recently introduced a bill that would prevent state and local government agencies from not allowing employees to share immigration data requested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The bill also requires county attorneys to report any illegal immigrant arrested for a violent crime, even if they are not charged, and prohibits law enforcement from not cooperating with ICE. President Donald Trump, who campaigned for an immigration crackdown, loosened restrictions on ICE, allowing broader enforcement. Under H.F. 16, sponsored by state Rep. Max Rymer, R-North Branch, Minnesota law enforcement and government agencies would no longer be allowed to create ordinances, regulations and policies that "limit or prohibit government employees from communicating with federal officials about the immigration status of individuals." It would require agencies to cooperate with federal officials on issues involving immigration enforcement and investigate any violations. "The motive for this bill is to open up a line of communication between local authorities and deal with dangerous criminals who should not be in our community," Rymer told FOX 9 Minneapolis on Wednesday. "Right now, we find ourselves in a moment where you have local officials who are openly defying immigration enforcement, from the Minneapolis mayor, to the Hennpin County prosecutor." The bill, which was introduced in February, went before the Minnesota House of Representatives in the Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee on Wednesday, FOX 9 reported. It will be sent to the House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee for further discussion following a roll-call vote. The Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL)-led Minnesota Senate and Gov. Tim Walz will need to be on board for the bill to be signed into law, a tough feat considering the state's promise to remain a "sanctuary state," and not cooperate with federal ICE efforts. Last year, DFL legislators introduced the North STAR Act to make Minnesota a sanctuary state. Those in support of the bill cited the need for the state to follow federal standards on immigration reform. However, critics warned the large scope could be used to target minority communities. Ben Gleekel with the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota told FOX 9 the bill could make Minnesotans "less safe." "Non-citizens and citizen victims of domestic violence and trafficking will suffer the most," Gleekel said. "They will not risk calling local law enforcement to report a crime, if they know that it means their families will be separated or that they themselves might be apprehended. Prohibiting entities that know their communities best from maintaining clear boundaries between state and federal government will erode the important trust that exists between our immigrant communities and local law enforcement… ." ICE is already outpacing the total number of arrests in 2024, the agency said Wednesday. The agency also found tens of thousands of cases that were recorded as arrests actually resulted in releases into American communities.
