U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, blasted Gov. Tim Walz’s stance on illegal immigration during an exclusive interview with Alpha News ahead of a highly anticipated congressional hearing this Thursday.
“Not all Democrats are crazy, but the left that controls their party is—and they’ve got crazy policy after crazy policy,” Jordan said, pointing to sanctuary laws as one example.
The June 12 “Hearing with Sanctuary State Governors” will examine how the states’ policies shield criminal illegal aliens from federal immigration enforcement.
Walz is scheduled to testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee alongside fellow Democratic Govs. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Kathy Hochul of New York.
Although Minnesota hasn’t formally declared itself a sanctuary state, certain cities and counties limit cooperation with immigration authorities, including Minneapolis and St. Paul. For instance, Minneapolis police were just reminded that they are “prohibited from involvement in any federal civil immigration enforcement activities.”
Additionally, the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office recently told Minnesota law enforcement agencies that they “risk significant civil liability if they enforce immigration detainers.”
Walz himself has backed declaring Minnesota a sanctuary state in the past and has signed laws granting state benefits to illegal immigrants.
For these reasons, the Oversight Committee considers Minnesota a sanctuary jurisdiction.
ICE detainer failures put public and officers at risk, Jordan says
Jordan said refusing to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) endangers federal officers, local communities, and even the migrants themselves.
He referenced a March Oversight Committee “Hearing with Sanctuary City Mayors,” where he confronted Denver’s mayor about a case involving a Venezuelan gang member who was arrested by Border Patrol in 2023 and later re-arrested in Denver on multiple charges, including aggravated assault, motor vehicle theft, and felony menacing.
Jordan said that under Denver’s sanctuary policy, ICE received less than an hour’s notice before the individual was released from jail—far short of the 48-hour detainer request.
“They had to send six agents to arrest him in public instead of two officers picking him up safely in jail,” Jordan said. “One ICE agent was attacked. You endangered law enforcement, the public, and the migrant.”
Jordan warned that similar scenarios are already unfolding in states like Minnesota and California, where local agencies are restricted from cooperating with federal immigration officials.
In one recent case, an illegal immigrant allegedly killed a woman while driving drunk in Minneapolis. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Hennepin County refused to “honor this criminal illegal alien’s detainer TWICE.”
🔥🔥🔥
Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) accuses Denver Mayor of endangering ICE agents
“An officer got assaulted by a TdA gang member because of YOUR policy…" pic.twitter.com/gdN37z4G2t
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) March 5, 2025
Jordan rebukes Walz’s rhetoric and says voters have rejected extreme policies
The Ohio Republican also criticized Walz’s recent comments comparing federal immigration agents to Hitler’s Gestapo.
“For him to criticize folks who are simply trying to enforce the law—law enforcement officers—and make it harder for them to do their job just doesn’t make sense to me,” Jordan said. “Especially with what took place in Minneapolis five summers ago.”
Jordan said those comments, combined with the governor’s broader agenda, reflect a disconnect with what most Americans believe.
“I go back to Nov. 5. I think the people spoke loud and clear that these kinds of ridiculous policies are not what they support,” Jordan said.
“It’s crazy that men compete against women in sports. It’s crazy to say illegal migrants get put on the healthcare system that American taxpayers pay for. It’s crazy to be a sanctuary state and not have your local officials work with federal law enforcement,” he added.
Hearing may lead to legislation or federal funding consequences
The Oversight Committee, chaired by Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., is considering whether there should be federal consequences for refusing to cooperate with immigration enforcement. That could include legislation to restrict certain federal funds from flowing to sanctuary jurisdictions.
“One of the things we’re obviously looking at is if you’re a sanctuary state, does that jeopardize certain federal funds, do we need legislation and do we use the appropriation process to change some of the things that are going on?” Jordan told Alpha News.
“So I think it’s all part of that, which is again part of our constitutional duties to do oversight—and of course you do oversight in a way that can give you information that can determine what kind of legislation you may or may not pass,” he said.
Minnesota policies expand benefits for illegal immigrants
Minnesota has passed a wave of new laws in recent years expanding access to state benefits for illegal immigrants, including free college tuition, driver’s licenses, and MinnesotaCare—the state’s taxpayer-funded health insurance program for low-income residents.
Republicans argue these policies fly in the face of reason and encourage more illegal immigration, all while placing additional strain on state resources.
“As President Trump says, our party is the party of common sense,” added Jordan.
“A Hearing with Sanctuary State Governors” will take place on Thursday, June 12 at 9 a.m., and will be livestreamed here.
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
