Gov. Youngkin Says Biden Turned US into a 'Sanctuary Country'

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, took to Fox News' "Hannity" to air his grievances on President Joe Biden’s approach to illegal immigration, contrasting it with what he described as a more hardline stance under former President Donald Trump.

The timing of his remarks is noteworthy, as they come on the heels of the arrest of Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos, identified as a high-ranking MS-13 gang member. Santos, who had spent over a decade in the U.S., was apprehended in Virginia and charged with illegal gun possession during a search of his residence.

Youngkin highlighted his role in backing an interagency task force that orchestrated the operation. The collaborative effort involved the FBI, the Department of Justice, and other federal agencies, showcasing what can be achieved when various arms of law enforcement come together with a united purpose.

In the past few weeks alone, this task force has reportedly arrested 28 members of MS-13, 19 members of the Tren de Aragua gang, and several others tied to transnational organized crime. Youngkin seemed eager to underscore these results as a direct byproduct of effective leadership and cooperation that, according to him, was sorely missing during the Biden administration.

Speaking on the program, Youngkin declared, "Today, this collaboration between state police, our Department of Corrections, Homeland Security, the FBI, ICE, and lots of folks from the U.S. Attorney’s Office brought down one of the top MS-13 operatives in America. And let me tell you, Virginia is safer."

The governor did not hold back in his critique of the Biden administration, accusing it of turning America into a "sanctuary country." He also credited Trump for fostering the kind of federal-state cooperation that he claims helped achieve these recent law enforcement victories.

"I didn’t have it for three years. And as soon as President Trump showed up, we went to work," Youngkin added. "And we’re making America and Virginia safer."

While Youngkin's remarks were charged with praise for Trump and criticism of Biden, the broader issue of immigration and crime remains a deeply complex and polarizing topic. What’s clear is that Youngkin is leaning hard into law-and-order rhetoric, potentially signaling his ambitions on the national political stage.