Democratic governors pushed back against the Trump administration‘s hardline immigration tactics during a tense congressional hearing, with two daring border czar Tom Homan to try arresting them for resisting federal enforcement.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker were among the state leaders who forcefully criticized federal overreach during Thursday’s hearing, Axios reported.
Hochul responded to Homan’s threat by saying, “If Tom Homan comes to Albany to arrest me, I’ll say go for it.” Pritzker echoed the sentiment, stating he would “stand in the way of Tom Homan going after people who don’t deserve to be frightened in their communities.”
Both governors condemned the deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles as a dangerous encroachment on local authority. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz also weighed in, warning that threats of arrest against elected officials undermine democracy.
The clash follows growing tensions between Democratic-led states and the Trump administration over its mass deportation agenda and aggressive use of federal agents.
Tom Homan has previously floated the idea of arresting officials who obstruct immigration enforcement or shield undocumented residents. Calls for such arrests escalated after Trump recently suggested California Gov. Gavin Newsom be detained amid protests in Los Angeles.
While Republicans used the hearing to blame sanctuary policies for violent crime, the governors defended their records, pointing to declining crime rates and emphasizing their cooperation with ICE in criminal matters.
Originally published on Latin Times
