WASHINGTON () The Democratic governors of Illinois, Minnesota and New York are set to defend their states’ immigration policies on Capitol Hill on Thursday.

Govs. JB Pritzker of Illinois, Tim Walz of Minnesota, and Kathy Hochul of New York are expected to face tough questions from the House Oversight Committee about their states’ sanctuary policies, which generally limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown have escalated nationwide this week, including in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City, where police arrested more than 80 people in one night earlier this week.

The hearing comes on the heels of a letter signed by the governors, condemning Trump’s use of California’s National Guard for immigration enforcement, calling it an “abuse of power.”

Republicans accuse sanctuary cities of ‘shielding’ migrants

Republicans have criticized sanctuary policies, arguing they allow migrants with criminal records to avoid deportation.

In a recent social media post, Republican lawmakers accused the governors of “shielding CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS, then pretending the consequences don’t exist.”

The post included footage of immigrants being arrested and past remarks by the governors defending their immigration stances.

The broader sanctuary cities debate

Sanctuary policies drew attention under former President Joe Biden, as cities such as New York and Chicago faced record surges of migrants and overwhelming demand at local shelters and services.

While Trump campaigned on ending sanctuary jurisdictions, earlier this year, a federal judge blocked efforts by his administration to withhold federal funds from those who declined to cooperate with his immigration agenda.

Supporters of sanctuary policies argue they help build trust between immigrant communities and local governments. They say cooperating with immigration officials could discourage victims and witnesses from coming forward.