In the News

Today, Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) delivered the following opening statement in a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing to examine immigration enforcement in Minnesota.

Click here to watch Whip Emmer’s remarks.

Whip Emmer: “Thank you Chairman Paul, Ranking Member Peters, and members of the committee for this opportunity. It’s not every day a lowly House member gets to address the upper chamber. I also want to acknowledge the other witnesses – a constituent and friend, Majority Leader Niska, as well as Commissioner Schnell, and Attorney General Ellison – for being willing to offer their insight into this very important issue. I look forward to Attorney General Ellison being forced to answer for his role in tying the hands of law enforcement in order to protect criminals. It’s a shame that his partner in crime, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, declined the invitation to testify here today. Frey clearly has no problem talking about Minneapolis to any member of the media who will listen. Makes you wonder, is he too afraid to repeat those same lies under oath? I guess time will tell. As the representative of Minnesota’s Sixth Congressional District, I have witnessed firsthand the consequences that come when our Democrat state leaders prioritize criminal illegal aliens over law-abiding Minnesotans. The unrest that we all watched unfold in Minneapolis over recent weeks was unnerving. It was heartbreaking, and any loss of life is tragic. But make no mistake: It was all a direct result of radical sanctuary state and city policies in Minnesota. By preventing local law enforcement from working together with federal law enforcement, they have turned Minnesota into a safe haven for criminal illegal aliens. We’re talking murderers, rapists, gang members, and child predators. Now, before you hear dizzying spin from one of the other witnesses here today, let’s take a closer look at how we got here. In 2021, with Attorney General Keith Ellison as the chief law enforcement officer in the state, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office issued a directive which prohibited the county’s cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Four years later, Ellison issued two legal opinions arguing that Minnesota law prohibits state and local law enforcement agencies from holding someone based on an immigration detainer if the person would otherwise be released from custody and limiting county sheriffs’ ability to enter into 287(g) cooperation agreements with federal law enforcement. What happened as a result? Criminal illegal aliens were released back onto our streets, putting innocent Minnesotans’ lives at risk. Take the case of Victoria Eleen Harwell for example – a Minnesota mom who was allegedly killed by an illegal alien in a drunk driving car crash. Hennepin County ignored detainer requests and let this criminal walk not once but twice, citing Attorney General Ellison’s opinion. Flash forward to December 2025, when the Trump administration launched Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, fulfilling the border security mandate they were given by 77 million Americans and following the uncovering of rampant Somali fraud throughout our state. As of last week, 4,000 illegal aliens have been arrested since Operation Metro Surge began. That includes the worst of the worst off our streets. But in response, Tim Walz and Keith Ellison sued the Department of Homeland Security for simply deploying federal law enforcement to enforce federal law. That lawsuit was ultimately rejected by a Biden-appointed federal judge, and now, Trump Border Czar Tom Homan has been working with Minnesota officials to scale back Operation Metro Surge on the condition that local law enforcement is allowed to cooperate with federal law enforcement. Something, by the way, that occurred under President Obama’s administration. It’s important to note that it didn’t have to be this way. The chaos in Minneapolis was entirely preventable had local law enforcement been allowed to work with federal law enforcement from the beginning. We see that in states like Texas, Florida, and Utah. We also see that in eight Minnesota counties — including Sherburne County which is in my district.  Sherburne and these seven counties have proactively partnered with federal law enforcement to prevent criminal illegal aliens from roaming free, despite threats of ridiculous lawsuits by the ACLU rising from Attorney General Ellison’s dangerous guidance. It’s really that simple. By allowing local law enforcement to notify federal law enforcement when they arrest illegal aliens and detain them until a federal officer can come and get them — we limit the Fed's footprint and keep dangerous criminals off our streets. It’s a win, win for all parties involved. But Tim Walz, Keith Ellison, and Jacob Frey are so beholden to their radical, sanctuary state and city agenda that they’ve lost all common sense. And now, here we are today with innocent lives lost and chaos in our streets. It’s horrible, but entirely preventable. And it makes you wonder: Why are Minnesota Democrats so keen on protecting criminal illegal aliens? Is it so they can secure their votes come election season? Tim Walz, after all, refuses to hand over Minnesota’s voter rolls to the Department of Justice, and Keith Ellison has a history of cutting deals with Somali fraudsters for personal, political, and financial gain. These are all very important questions that I hope we can get some clarification on all of them today. Minnesotans deserve answers and accountability. Thank you, again, for allowing me to testify. On behalf of all hardworking, law-abiding Minnesotans, we’re grateful for your commitment to uncovering the truth and ensuring that justice is served.”