00:00This is the Majority Whip, Mr. Emmer from Minnesota.
00:03Mr. Chairman.
00:04Thank you, Mr. Chair. Welcome back to Washington, Governor.
00:07I'm going to run through a series of facts before I get to my questions, so let's get started.
00:11Governor Walz, you signed the Health and Human Services Omnibus Bill into law in May of 2023.
00:16That bill expanded MinnesotaCare to provide free health care to illegal aliens.
00:21You signed the Higher Education Omnibus Bill into law in May of 2023.
00:25That bill allows illegals to have their college tuition paid for by the state.
00:31You signed the Driver's License for All Act into law in March of 2023, and that bill allows illegals to receive driver's licenses.
00:39So, you claim you're not a sanctuary state.
00:43You just provide free health care, free college, and driver's licenses to illegal aliens.
00:48One reason you're here testifying before us today is because you refuse to cooperate with ICE.
00:53While states like Florida and Virginia empower their law enforcement to detain and remove criminal illegal aliens, you, sir, have done just the opposite.
01:02Your Attorney General is directing law enforcement to ignore ICE immigration detainers.
01:07Do you agree with the Attorney General's guidance?
01:11Well, Congressman, it's good to see you again, and thank you for being here.
01:14First, I would say it's my job as Governor of Minnesota is to make Minnesota the best state in the nation.
01:18Do you agree with the Attorney General's guidance?
01:20Congressman, what I would say on this is that Minnesota follows all law.
01:26It's a very easy question.
01:28And again, if you claim you're not a sanctuary state, you just claim that you support policies.
01:36You're not a sanctuary state, but you support policies that prevent ICE from doing their job.
01:41Congressman, that is incorrect.
01:43Congressman, we follow the same laws when you were in the Minnesota House.
01:46The law has not changed.
01:47If you'll allow me, I've got limited time.
01:48Well, that's what you tweeted, by the way, sir.
01:51On May 23rd, 2018, you tweeted, quote, I support policies that keep law enforcement from enforcing federal laws, close quote.
02:01On May 17th, just this spring, at the University of Minnesota Law School's commencement ceremony, you said, quote, Donald Trump's modern-day Gestapo is scooping folks up off the streets.
02:11When you said the words modern-day Gestapo, you were referring to ICE agents.
02:16Gestapo, by the way, sir, was the official secret police of Hitler's Nazi Germany.
02:25Given 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?
02:34The questions you want me to answer first.
02:41So, sir, it saddens me that you refuse to express regret from comparing ICE to Nazis.
02:47ICE agents are brave Americans who get up every morning, leave their families, and put their lives in harm's way to protect our country, sir.
02:56You, at the very least, owe an apology to these dedicated public servants.
03:01I will say, sir, inflammatory rhetoric such as yours and the other governors on this panel is responsible for putting a target on the back of every ICE agent who is risking their life to protect our communities.
03:15Minnesota is all too familiar, by the way, with the chaos that ensues when you refuse to work with law enforcement to enforce the law.
03:22In May 2020, looting, acts of violence, and arson occurred on your watch in Minneapolis after you refused to bring in the National Guard.
03:30Governor, your agenda is clear.
03:32Free health care, free college and driver's licenses for illegals while handcuffing law enforcement when they're trying to protect our citizens and their communities.
03:41If you think that's not a sanctuary state, you shouldn't be governor.
03:46By turning Minnesota into a magnet for illegals, you have opened up our communities to dangerous criminals, including known terrorists, gang members, murderers, and child predators.
03:56You have sent a resounding message that if you're a hardworking, law-abiding citizen of Minnesota, your safety and well-being are not the priorities of Tim Walls and his administration.
04:07But if you're coming to our state illegally, you're not only welcome with open arms, you're entitled to free stuff on a taxpayer's dime.
04:15This is absolutely disgraceful.
04:18Governor Walls, your sanctuary state agenda has been defined by your utter failure.
04:23You have failed to enforce the rule of law.
04:26You have failed to uphold our national sovereignty.
04:29And most importantly, you have failed the people of Minnesota.
04:33The time for radical sanctuary state policy, sir, is over.
04:38The voters made that clear last November when they elected President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.
04:44You remember him, don't you?
04:45Governor, the time for real leaders and real leadership is now.
04:52And with that, sir, actually, Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to introduce into the record the Governor's tweet that I referenced from May 23rd, 2018, which makes it clear his hatred for federal law enforcement.
05:09Without objection, so ordered.
05:10Mr. Chairman?
05:11Yes.
05:12Mr. Chairman recognizes Mr. Mfume.
05:13Mr. Chairman, thank you very much.
05:14I have a unanimous consent request, and I'd like to present both of those to you at the same time.
05:21We'll see.
05:21Okay.
05:22I ask unanimous consent that we enter into the record an article from the Hill of...
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