Supporting Sanctuary Cities And Giving Driver’s Licenses To Illegal Migrants: Tim Walz’s Record On Immigration

Vice President Kamala Harris’ choice for a running mate has a history of far-left positions and actions on immigration issues, a review of his record reveals.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is the Democratic vice presidential nominee for the 2024 ticket, Harris announced in an X post on Tuesday morning. The newly-minted running mate has opposed border enforcement and supported pro-illegal immigration policies while serving as governor and as a congressman, attracting the ire of immigration hawks.

Walz signed into law state legislation in March 2023 allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, opening the door for an estimated 81,000 undocumented aliens in Minnesota to apply for licenses. The Democratic governor said in a press release at the time that giving licenses to foreign nationals living in the state illegally would make “our roads safer.”

During his successful 2018 gubernatorial run, Walz publicly declared his support for “sanctuary” policies in Minnesota, according to CBS News.

“Here’s what I believe: Congress has given federal agencies the authority to enforce immigration laws in Minnesota, and I support their doing so,” the then-gubernatorial candidate said in 2018. “Congress has not given local law enforcement that same authority.”

“The role of law enforcement is to enforce state and local laws, not federal immigration laws, and I strongly believe that they should not do so,” his statement continued.

The statement largely reflected what sanctuary city advocates support: Noncooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. Sanctuary jurisdictions typically decline to enforce detainer requests for criminal illegal migrants who are arrested, allowing them back into the community when they are released from local custody.

Walz additionally signed into law legislation that gives state-funded healthcare and free college tuition to illegal immigrants while governor.

Before being elected as governor, Walz served in Congress from 2007 to 2019. NumbersUSA, a group that supports stricter border enforcement, awarded his congressional career with a “D” rating on immigration issues, listing a slate of bills he co-sponsored that, according to the group, undermines border security.

Also as a representative, Walz publicly called then-President Donald Trump’s efforts to build a border wall “ridiculous“.

“Governor Walz supports measures that promote illegal immigration, including policies that allow undocumented migrants to obtain drivers licenses,” John Fabbricatore, a retired Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office director, told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

“His initiatives in Minnesota magnetize illegal immigration and dismiss the foundation of immigration law,” he continued.