Republican Rep. Brandon Gill of Texas has called for governors who ‘flout federal law’ with sanctuary policies to face arrest, marking a significant stance in the ongoing immigration debate. Gill’s remarks, made during a House Oversight Committee hearing, highlighted his belief that state leaders obstructing federal immigration enforcement should be held accountable under the law. This comes amid heightened tensions in Los Angeles, where law enforcement is grappling with violent clashes with rioters, intensifying the debate over immigration policy and federal authority.
President Donald Trump has also called for Governor Gavin Newsom to be arrested, a move that has drawn widespread criticism as authoritarian. Newsom, however, maintains that California’s state laws do not conflict with federal immigration regulations, a claim supported by a recent federal court ruling that upheld California’s sanctuary law against a Trump administration challenge. Despite this, new legal disputes have emerged over Trump’s authority to deploy the National Guard in California, with a federal judge initially ordering its return to Newsom, only to be reversed later by an appeals court.
Gill’s focus during the hearing was on Illinois Governor JB Pritz, whom he accused of being lax on illegal immigration. Gill questioned Pritzker’s support for organizations like the Organized Communities Against Deportations, which has marched with anti-ICE signs. Pritzker defended his stance, noting that he supports federal immigration authorities, even as Gill challenged the credibility of his administration’s actions. Gill’s remarks reflect a broader conservative push to penalize state-level opposition to federal immigration policies, underscoring the deepening ideological divide over immigration enforcement in the United States.