At today's House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI) questioned Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN).
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00:00Thank you. I'm glad to see we have three governors here. I hear a lot about Illinois being from Wisconsin.
00:06I just had some, I think, some builders in my office yesterday talking about all the Illinois people building houses in southern Wisconsin to get out of Illinois.
00:15In any event, I think we have a very generous country here right now. Every year, about 850,000 new citizens are, another 8 million new citizens are sworn in, naturalized in this country.
00:40I think we have about another 500,000 people coming in this country on work visas and a little under that coming in on student visas.
00:49So we're very generous about allowing people in this country. I should have said 850,000 new people sworn in.
00:59In any event, really, it's not impossible to get here legally.
01:06Nevertheless, we have a lot of people every year overstaying visas or still sneaking across the border.
01:12And the question I'm going to ask you guys and Gal is, do you believe we should have immigration laws in this country?
01:23We'll start, I guess, where we're down the line.
01:25Governor Walz.
01:27Congressman, the question is, should we have immigration laws?
01:30Yes, that's it.
01:30Yes, we should.
01:32Governor Pritzker.
01:33They're very important.
01:35In fact, we should have more robust immigration in this country, and it should be done under a law.
01:43And, Ms. Hochul?
01:48Yes, of course, we should have immigration laws.
01:50In fact, we do.
01:51The question is, when people come in this country and break those laws, do you believe they should be enforced?
01:57Let's say people come in this country, you know, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Ocean, however they come here.
02:03Should they be spun around and sent back out of the country, or should we just allow them to stay here?
02:13It depends if they're, Congressman, if they're coming on an asylum claim, protected status.
02:17Exactly the question.
02:18Assuming they come on an asylum claim, and that claim has been rejected, should they be allowed to stay here?
02:24The judge denies their asylum claim?
02:26No, they should not.
02:27They should not be able to.
02:28Governor Pritzker.
02:29If somebody's overstaying, we'll say it a different way, overstaying their, say, work visas, a student visa, should they be allowed to stay here, or should they be removed?
02:40Given due process, sir.
02:42Should they be removed?
02:43Due process is required, yes.
02:44Okay, Governor Hochul.
02:47Yes, I agree.
02:47Following due process, the federal government has the authority to make those removals.
02:51It has nothing to do with those skills.
02:52I'll ask you, should people who are here illegally get welfare benefits, Mr. Governor Walz?
03:00They have food stamps, low-income housing.
03:02Should they get assistance that would be here?
03:05Yes.
03:06We provide for all of our people in Minnesota.
03:09It's one of the reasons.
03:09Okay, so your statement is that if somebody comes here, set an asylum claim, whatever, they should be able to get low-income housing benefits, almost free rent, free food, free health care.
03:24Is that what you believe?
03:25I believe states' rights.
03:26In some states, they do.
03:27Well, I know that's what you believe we should do.
03:31Okay, Mr. Governor Pritzker.
03:34It's the federal government's job to determine what welfare benefits at the federal level, and I can say to you that we have hundreds of thousands of people in the state of Illinois who are undocumented but have been living, abiding by the law, holding down a job, paying taxes.
03:51Okay, so are they getting, are they, do you believe it's right then that if they come here, they should get free housing, free medical care, free food?
04:03It depends on the circumstances.
04:04I'm just explaining to you, though, that we have millions of people across the United States who are here, and we're here long before you got elected.
04:12No, I know all that.
04:13I mean, the question is, you don't have a problem with them getting benefits, these benefits.
04:17Again, law-abiding tax pay, we're talking about people who are adding.
04:20Okay, I'll take it to be, well, not if they're not working, but either way, you have no problem giving them those benefits.
04:29We provide benefits to people all across the state.
04:31Okay, Ms. Hochul, is that the same thing with you?
04:32Do you believe people come here who are not citizens come here and make a sign claim?
04:38They should all be getting food, health care, housing.
04:44Depending on which law you're referring to, in certain circumstances, we do provide these services, but they're not universal.
04:51Okay, well, to most people, your average person who's overstaying a student visa in New York, do you think they should be getting food stamps, housing, medical care?
05:02We provide Medicaid for individuals who are senior citizens or moms with new babies.
05:09Well, we know when people are eligible, the question is people who are not citizens who are overstaying a student or work visa.
05:15No, people are making their own way here in the state of New York.
05:17In fact, I have 400,000 open jobs.
05:19I wish you could help me find a path.
05:20You're not answering the question.
05:21I take it to mean, I want you to answer the question.
05:25Give us more work authorizations.
05:26Let's put them to work.
05:28Let's put them to work.
05:29You refuse to answer the question.
05:32If somebody is otherwise eligible for low-income housing or food stamps or medical care in New York, do you believe they should be entitled to those benefits?
05:41There's not a blanket answer to that.
05:43It depends on which provision of the social services law.
05:46In some cases, it's allowed.
05:47In some cases, it's not.
05:50Okay.
05:51Chair recognizes Ms. Simon from Arizona.