Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and New York Governor Kathy Hochul, both Democrats, defiantly challenged the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement approach during a tense congressional hearing on Thursday — stating they’re willing to face arrest for shielding undocumented immigrants in their states.
Testifying before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Pritzker, Hochul, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz defended their states’ immigration and public safety policies amid Republican accusations that their sanctuary policies undermine federal law.
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Their comments came in direct response to remarks by Tom Homan, former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and currently serving as Donald Trump’s immigration advisor. Homan has publicly stated that Democratic officials who obstruct federal immigration efforts could be prosecuted — a position Trump echoed earlier this week when he suggested California Governor Gavin Newsom be arrested over his handling of protests tied to recent ICE raids in Los Angeles.
“If Tom Homan comes to Albany to arrest me, I’ll say go for it,” Gov. Hochul said defiantly.
“You can’t intimidate a governor… Anything threatening our responsibility is an assault on our democracy. Nothing short of that.”
Pritzker expressed similar resolve, stating that defending his state’s residents — including undocumented immigrants — is his highest obligation.
“If Tom Homan were to come and try to arrest me, I say he can try,” Pritzker said.
“I will stand in the way of anyone going after people who don’t deserve to be terrorized in their communities.”
Pritzker is widely believed to be considering a 2028 presidential bid, and his comments — like Hochul’s — signal an unwillingness to back down as the immigration debate intensifies in the lead-up to the 2024 election and beyond.
The Justice Department is currently suing both states over a number of policies it argues interfere with federal immigration enforcement:
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In Illinois, one lawsuit targets state laws and local ordinances — including Chicago’s “Welcoming City” policy — that limit cooperation with ICE and restrict police from sharing immigration-related information with federal authorities. A second lawsuit challenges Illinois’ “Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act,” which restricts the use of the federal E-Verify system and provides privacy protections for non-citizen workers.
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In New York, the DOJ has filed two lawsuits. The latest, announced Thursday, contests the “Protect Our Courts Act,” which prohibits ICE from making arrests in or around courthouses. A prior lawsuit filed in April challenges the state’s “Green Light Law,” which bars the Department of Motor Vehicles and other state agencies from sharing information with ICE.
During the hearing, Republicans accused Democratic leaders of fostering an environment that protects violent offenders. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.) specifically blamed Gov. Hochul for the 2024 murder of Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student.
Her accused killer, Jose Antonio Ibarra — an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela — had been arrested in New York on child endangerment charges but was released before later traveling to Georgia.
“This little girl would be alive today if you weren’t such a treasonous governor, supporting sanctuary laws in the state of New York,” Greene said, while holding up a photo of Riley during the hearing.
Gov. Walz of Minnesota added his voice to the chorus of criticism against federal threats of arrest, saying:
“Threatening arrest on elected officials… it doesn’t help any of us.”
The escalating tension between state and federal officials highlights the growing rift over immigration enforcement — a political and legal flashpoint likely to dominate the national conversation as the 2024 election cycle heats up.
