House GOP calls 'sanctuary' governors to face oversight grilling on public safety

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) sent letters to several "sanctuary governors" on Thursday, inviting them to testify before lawmakers as part of the committee's ongoing probe into the public safety impact of sanctuary policies.

Comer requested Democratic Governors Kathy Hochul of New York, Tim Walz of Minnesota, and JB Pritzker of Illinois testify before the committee during a May 15 hearing.

'President Trump is preparing to take executive action to withhold federal funding from sanctuary states.'

The letters stated, "The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is continuing to investigate sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States and their impact on public safety and the effectiveness of federal efforts to enforce the immigration laws of the United States."

"Sanctuary jurisdictions and their obstructionist policies hinder the ability of federal law enforcement officers to effectuate safe arrests and remove dangerous criminals from American communities," it continued. "This threatens Americans' safety."

Comer requested several documents from the state leaders, including all materials and communications related to sanctuary policies.

The committee previously heard testimony in March from Democratic mayors of sanctuary cities, including Eric Adams of New York, Michelle Wu of Boston, Brandon Johnson of Chicago, and Mike Johnston of Denver.

Comer stated Thursday, "Harboring aliens is a federal crime. Sanctuary policies championed by these governors jeopardize the safety of Americans and defy U.S. immigration laws."

"President Trump is preparing to take executive action to withhold federal funding from sanctuary states," he added. "Working alongside President Trump, Congress must ensure federal immigration law is enforced and that criminal aliens are swiftly removed from our communities."

Hochul indicated that she would be willing to testify, Politico reported.

She told reporters on Thursday, "We just received notification of their interest in my opinion on state laws, which I'm happy to share with them."

"I told people like Tom Homan that I will continue doing what our practice has been from the beginning, which is to cooperate with ICE when they have a warrant or they have evidence that there's a person who's committed a serious crime," Hochul said.

According to Alex Gough, a spokesperson for Pritzker, the governor is still reviewing Comer's request for documents. He has not yet determined whether he will testify.

Gough stated, "Let's call this what this is: another partisan dog and pony show."

Teddy Tschann, a spokesperson for Walz, said, "Governor Walz is happy to work with Congress, but since Minnesota is not a sanctuary state, one can't help but wonder if this is, perhaps, politically motivated."

Meanwhile, acting U.S. District Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba announced that she is launching her own investigation into Governor Phil Murphy (D) and state attorney General Matt Platkin over New Jersey’s order prohibiting local police from cooperating with federal immigration agents.

"That will no longer stand. [U.S. Attorney General] Pam Bondi has made it clear and so has our president that we are to take all criminals, violent criminals and criminals out of this country and to completely enforce federal law," Habba told Fox News' Sean Hannity on Thursday.

"And anybody who does get ... in the way of what we are doing — which is not political, it is simply against crime — will be charged in the state of New Jersey for obstruction, for concealment," Habba continued. "And I will come after hard."

Murphy's office and Platkin's office declined a request for comment from ABC News.

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