WASHINGTON – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz testified during a House Oversight Committee hearing on sanctuary states on Thursday.
He says the state of Minnesota doesn’t have sanctuary laws. Minneapolis and St. Paul have sanctuary policies.
Advocates for undocumented people have pushed for the North STAR Act in Minnesota that would prevent local law enforcement from working with federal immigration enforcement. The bill has never been passed. In May, Homeland Security named 20 Minnesota counties, including Otter Tail, as “sanctuary jurisdictions”.
In his opening statement, Walz said Minnesota cooperates with federal authorities including asking convicted felons in prison their immigration status, and sharing that with Homeland Security to work with the department when there’s a federal arrest warrant for someone.
Walz also slammed the Trump Administration’s deportation efforts.
“Many of these are law abiding Americans, people granted asylum or promised protected status,” Walz testified. “In many cases, it seems these people were deported not based on a criminal behavior but how they look or what they’ve said or being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Republican Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer asked Walz if he agrees with Attorney General Keith Ellison’s legal opinion. In February he said Minnesota law prohibits state and local law enforcement agencies from holding someone on an immigration detainer if they would otherwise be released from custody.
“Minnesota follows all law,” Walz responded.
“It’s a very easy question. You’re not a sanctuary state, but you support policies that prevent ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] from doing their jobs,” Emmer said.
“That is incorrect, congressman. We follow the same laws when you were in the Minnesota House. The law has not changed,” Walz replied.
Emmer also slammed Walz for the comments he made during University of Minnesota’s Law School graduation.
“Trump’s modern day Gestapo is scooping up people off the streets. They’re in unmarked vans, wearing masks… being shipped off to foreign torture dungeons no chance to mount a defense,” Walz said in May.
The Gestapo was the secret police of Nazi Germany.
Emmer asked Walz several questions including about those comments.
“Given the attacks on ICE agents that took place in Los Angeles over the weekend, don’t you regard your dangerous, inflammatory rhetoric as a problem?” Emmer asked.
“What question do you want me to answer first?” Walz replied.
“Sir, it saddens me that you refuse to express regret comparing ICE to Nazis,” Emmer said ending his questioning.
