Kathy Hochul asks Marjorie Taylor Greene if being a democrat is `illegal ” ‘

New York’s governor Kathy Hochul asked the Republican representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia if being a democrat was “illegal” in his country during a chamber committee on surveillance and the government reform audience on Thursday.

At the hearing, Hochul and the Democratic governors were interviewed on policies on a state level limiting cooperation with the federal immigration authorities.

Greene has asked the Governor of New York: “Did you say that you are a proud registered democrat?” Hochul then joked: “Yes. Is it illegal now, in your country?”

The representative of Georgia laughed, then said: “It’s not a question of laughing.”

During another exchange, Greene took a break during her comments on the nursing student in murderous Georgia Laken Riley, and asked Hochul: “You smile at me? You seem to have a smile on your face.”

Hochul said, “No. I think of his parents. I don’t wonder what I look like. My heart breaks for his parents.”

The Conservative Firebrand also said that Hochul was an accomplice in the death of Riley, who had been killed by Jose Ibarra, a 26 -year -old Venezuelan national who had already been detained for offenses and then released in New York before going to Georgia.

“This little girl here would be alive today if you were not a governor also betrayal supporting the laws on the sanctuary … The Ministry of Justice should continue you for his murder,” said Greene.

Why it matters

While tensions are increasing between President Donald Trump and Democratic governors for the application of immigration, the Chamber Committee examined the policies of the sanctuary in the States led by Democrat.

Although there is no official legal definition of a “sanctuary jurisdiction”, the term generally refers to the governments of states or states which limit their cooperation with the federal immigration authorities. The courts have already confirmed the legality of these policies.

However, the Trump administration challenged these measures before the courts, laying prosecution against states such as Colorado, Illinois and New York, as well as cities such as Chicago and Rochester, arguing that their policies are in conflict with the American Constitution or the Federal Immigration Act.

The hearing also comes in the middle of the deployment of Trump this week of the National Guard and the Marines to protect federal buildings and immigration and customs staff (ICE) in Los Angeles. The California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom criticized this decision, accusing Trump of “war” on the foundations of American democracy.

What to know

Hochul was joined by the Illinois JB Pritzker and Tim Walz of Minnesota while the governors testified in the midst of strong criticisms on the part of the Republican legislators, who stressed the violent crimes allegedly committed by undocumented immigrants. The Committee, chaired by representative James Comer, used large -scale cases and visual displays to assert that sanctuary policies – local rules or states limiting cooperation with the federal immigration authorities – have risked American life.

Throughout the hearing, republican members have cited cases involving undocumented persons accused of serious crimes, saying that local policies have prevented federal immigration action.

The session has often been transformed into heated exchanges, with interruptions and accusations dominating a large part of the speech. At one point, the Republican representative Pete Stauber of Minnesota broke out in Walz, accusing the former vice-presidential candidate of “stolen valor” due to divergences in his public declarations on his military service. Democratic representative Melanie Stansbury, New Mexico, criticized the tone, calling it political theater.

Hochul defended the policies of his state and sentenced the Trump administration’s decision to deploy national guard troops in Los Angeles in response to demonstrations, calling him “blatant abuse of power”. Hochul said that if New York prohibits the application of the civil immigration law, state police cooperate with ice in criminal cases. Since her entry into office in 2021, she said that the state had transferred more than 1,300 non-citizens imprisoned to the federal guard after finishing their sorrows.

Some of the most stormy moments of the hearing took place between Hochul and the Republican legislators by its own state. Representative Elise Stefanik – mentioned as potential candidate for the governor of New York in 2026 – criticized the cases in which she said that people had been raped, assaulted or burned vives by immigrants who had entered or remained in the United States without legal authorization.

Hochul said the crimes were “horrible” and “heartbreaking” and insisted “that we cooperate with ice; we cooperate with the police” in criminal cases.

What people say

Democratic representative Stansbury said: “Welcome to everyone in the surveillance reality TV show.” I know that Mr. Trump loves good television, and today is not disappointing. “”

Stefanik told Hochul while interrupting the governor’s response attempts: “You do not recommend on behalf of these victims, you protect the illegals.”

Hochul said during his remarks: “As we speak, an American city was militarized on the objections of their governor. At first, I just want to say that it is a blatant abuse of power.”

What happens next

The audience followed similar sessions earlier this year and marks the continuous objective of the supervisory committee led by the Republicans on immigration and sanctuary policies, a key question before the 2026 and 2028 elections.

This article contains reports by the Associated Press.

Update: 6/12/25, 19:14 pm and: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.

Update: 6/12/25, 19:43 PM HE: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.

Update: 6/12/25, 19:48 pm and: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.