Members of the House Republican Caucus unveiled two priority bills at a Wednesday press conference: the first would preclude illegal aliens from receiving state services, and the second would combat sanctuary policies that protect illegal aliens.
Two years ago, Democrats authorized legislation that gave illegal aliens access to a state-run healthcare program and a free college scholarship program. Additionally, illegal aliens were given the ability to obtain driver’s licenses under a 2023 law passed by Democrats.
Republicans across Minnesota have strongly criticized those measures, saying that state taxpayer dollars should not go to individuals who are in the country illegally.
At Wednesday’s press conference, Rep. Isaac Schultz, R-Elmdale Township, announced that he will be introducing legislation to preclude taxpayer dollars from going to illegal aliens in Minnesota. The second-term state legislator said that he wants state taxpayer dollars to be prioritized for Minnesotans who are struggling with the rising cost of living.
“At the heart of it, we have a finite amount of resources, and those resources need to be dedicated to the hardworking people of Minnesota who are in the greatest need,” explained Schultz.
According to Schultz, his legislation could save Minnesotans “hundreds of millions of dollars in future years.” In addition to preventing illegal aliens from accessing the aforementioned state-run healthcare program and college scholarship program, the Republican lawmaker’s bill would prevent illegal aliens from accessing state taxpayer-funded assistance.
“For too long, Minnesota’s government has mismanaged taxpayer money, prioritizing benefits for those who are here illegally while law-abiding citizens struggle to afford basic necessities,” said Schultz. “It is time to restore fairness and accountability by ensuring that Minnesota tax dollars are used to serve Minnesotans first.”
Accompanying Schultz’s legislation is a bill from Rep. Max Rymer, R-North Branch.
A first-term lawmaker, Rymer is authoring legislation that would require local authorities to report illegal aliens to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if those illegal aliens are arrested for a violent crime. Additionally, Rymer said his bill “prevents city and local governments from withholding information from federal immigration authorities.”
“In essence, this ends the practice of sanctuary cities,” explained Rymer.
Across the country, certain localities have declared themselves to be “sanctuaries” for illegal aliens by choosing not to coordinate with federal immigration enforcement efforts. Per the Center for Immigration Studies, sanctuary localities in Minnesota include Hennepin and Ramsey counties.
Recently, officials in Minneapolis have said they will not cooperate with President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts.
Discussing his legislation, Rymer said he is looking forward to bipartisan support for his bill in the same way that the federal Laken Riley Act was supported by both Democrats and Republicans. According to Rymer, his bill would complement the Laken Riley Act by forcing sanctuary jurisdictions to report illegal aliens who are arrested for violent crimes.
“Sanctuary policies that shield violent offenders from deportation only make our communities less safe,” said Rymer. “This initiative takes meaningful action to protect Minnesotans, restore fiscal responsibility, and ensure our state’s laws are upheld. It requires that violent offenders who are here illegally are reported to ICE immediately, so they cannot reoffend and victimize more innocent people. Public safety must come before politics.”
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
