Legislative UpdateDear Friends and Neighbors, As the 2025 legislative session continues, I want to provide you with an update on two important issues: our efforts to protect public safety through stronger immigration enforcement and the major victory House Republicans secured to restore accountability in the Minnesota House. Banning Sanctuary Cities & Strengthening Immigration EnforcementOne of the most pressing public safety concerns in our state is the lack of enforcement against violent offenders who are in the country illegally. That’s why House Republicans have introduced a bill to ban sanctuary city policies and require local authorities to report violent offenders to Federal Immigration Enforcement (ICE). The bill is part of the MN Tax Dollars for Minnesotans Initiative, one of the six key policy pillars we’re focused on. This bill does two key things: - Mandates that illegal immigrants arrested for violent crimes—including murder, assault, carjacking, kidnapping, and gang-related offenses—must be reported to ICE.
- Prohibits state and local governments from restricting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, effectively banning sanctuary city policies that shield violent offenders from deportation.
We have seen tragic consequences when dangerous criminals remain in the U.S. due to a lack of enforcement. This legislation ensures that those who pose a threat to public safety cannot avoid accountability due to bureaucratic loopholes or political inaction. Republicans Secure House Majority & Launch Fraud Oversight CommitteeAfter weeks of delays, Republicans have officially secured the House majority and restored order to the Legislature. Here are the key details Republicans were able to secure. - Lisa Demuth will serve as Speaker for the entire 2025-26 biennium.
- Republicans will chair all committees and hold a one-vote majority until the March 11th special election. If Democrats win, the committees (other than the Fraud and Oversight Committee) will be evenly split.
- A new GOP-led Fraud and Agency Oversight Committee which will have a permanent Republican chair and a 5-3 majority for the full two years, ensuring real accountability over the Walz administration. I'm also happy to be named vice chair of this committee.
This victory for House Republicans comes after Democrats knowingly ran an ineligible candidate in Roseville, lost their majority, and then refused to show up for work for nearly four weeks. Instead of taking responsibility for their mistake, they shut down the Legislature and wasted nearly a month during a critical budget year. Now that the House is back to work, Republicans are ready to lead. We will investigate waste, fraud, and abuse in state programs, ensure public safety comes before politics, and push for policies that put Minnesota families first. Moving ForwardDespite the obstacles, House Republicans remain committed to fighting for public safety, government accountability, and fiscal responsibility. I will continue working to pass policies that put Minnesotans first and restore trust in our government. With this agreement reached, we can finally address the many priorities in front of us, and it will be full steam ahead for the next five weeks. As always, I appreciate hearing from you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with your thoughts and concerns. |