U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, held a hearing on Mar. 10 focused on the impact of sanctuary city policies across the United States. The hearing, titled “Sanctuary Cities: The Cost of Undermining Law and Order,” examined the consequences of such policies in more than two hundred cities and twelve states.
The topic is significant as it addresses ongoing debates about immigration enforcement and public safety. Graham said that sanctuary cities act as magnets for illegal immigration and contribute to further challenges in addressing border security.
“We’ll never fix illegal immigration, until [we] get to the source of the problem. And one of the problems we have is magnets to encourage future illegal immigration,” Graham said during his opening remarks.
Graham cited statistics regarding crime and financial costs associated with sanctuary policies. “We believe [sanctuary cities] endanger public safety. [There have been] 10,000 criminals released by sanctuary policies who went on to be arrested for additional crimes. They should have been turned over, [but] they weren’t. They stayed in the country, and they committed crimes. Nine billion [dollars] in fraud — that we know of — and probably growing. Fifty-nine percent of illegal immigrant households [are] on government welfare programs costing taxpayers $42 billion a year.”
He referenced a recent case involving Abdul Jalloh, an undocumented immigrant from Sierra Leone with a criminal record who was not deported after being detained in Fairfax County, Virginia, due to local sanctuary policies. Graham said this decision led to Jalloh murdering Stephanie Minter in February: “We had this man in detention in Fairfax County, [Virginia], and they refused to turn him over for deportation. He was allowed to stay in the county, and the rest is history. A young mom is dead because of that decision.”
Graham also questioned current requirements for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations under Democratic proposals: “When President Obama deported 3 million people, it was called being strong and good government. When [Republicans] try to deport people… we’re [called] nazis and bad guys.” In an exchange with witness Bier about judicial warrants used during previous administrations, Graham concluded: “Bottom line: did he use judicial warrants to deport anybody? When he deported somebody [from] the interior, did he have a judicial warrant?” Bier replied no.
Graham has served as U.S. senator representing South Carolina since 2002 according to his official website. He leads as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee according to his official website and focuses on robust national defense and fiscal responsibility according to his official website. In June 2025, he released updated legislative text for a border-security funding bill according to his official website.
In closing remarks at the hearing, Graham said: “This hearing to me is stunning. I’m so glad we had it… To America, if you’re looking for anybody to change this system, our Democratic friends have no interest… I don’t.”
