US Sen. Lisa Murkowski harped on President Donald Trump for deporting violent criminal Venezuelan gang members, arguing that he was violating the rule of law by continuing deportations despite a judicial order to halt them.
She stated that Congress needs to push back against what she called Trump’s illegal deportations, emphasizing that all individuals, including those here illegally and are killing Americans, are entitled to due process.
Speaking to a joint session of the Alaska Legislature, Murkowski also criticized Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for its role in reducing the size of government.
She expressed concern over what is in fact a minuscule number of job losses among the more than 15,000 federal employees in Alaska during Trump’s initial weeks in office. She described the impact as significant.
Previously, Murkowski has estimated that up to 100 federal jobs had been eliminated in Alaska, including approximately 30 positions in the US Forest Service.
This would account for less than 0.7% of the state’s federal workforce.
During the Biden administration, Murkowski did not publicly address the loss of thousands of private-sector jobs that resulted from the cancellation of oil leases on Alaska’s North Slope.
However, she made federal employment a focal point of her speech today, noting that Alaska has one of the highest per capita rates of federal workers in the country.
She acknowledged concerns about the $36 trillion national debt but did not directly link it to government spending.
Murkowski’s speech began with a list of her accomplishments, criticisms of the Trump administration, and calls for increased federal funding.
Some of the achievements she cited are more accurately attributed to Sen. Dan Sullivan, who serves on key committees such as Commerce (overseeing the FAA and fishing regulations) and Veterans Affairs (responsible for veterans’ cemeteries). Murkowski did not play a direct role in those initiatives.
Applause during her speech largely came from Democrats, while the Republican members of the Legislature remained silent.
Murkowski expressed strong support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, criticizing the Trump administration for cutting such initiatives. She cited the cleanup of toxic Native lands in Alaska, funded through the “Environmental Justice Program,” as a positive example of DEI-related work.
Murkowski also defended Medicaid expansion, making no mention of addressing fraud within the program. She noted that 38% of Alaskans are currently enrolled in Medicaid, a figure influenced by her vote to preserve the Affordable Care Act. Her support of Medicaid brought applause from the Democrats in the room.
She briefly mentioned Sen. Dan Sullivan but did not acknowledge Rep. Nick Begich, the newest member of Alaska’s congressional delegation. By contrast, in her speech to the Legislature in 2024, she effusively praised then-Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat.
Overall, Murkowski’s speech followed a familiar structure, closely mirroring her address from 2024. This time, however, she placed less emphasis on topics such as climate change and missing and murdered Indigenous women. And this time, she spent much of her time criticizing the Trump Administration.
Last year’s speech to the joint session can be read at this link.
This year’s speech to the joint session can be watched at this link.
She’s securing support from the left if she decides to seek reelection.
FAA and fishing regulations???? Can someone explain? Or was the intent to say NOAA?
This women is completely off her rocker, she needs a intervention, does her own family not see she is totally unhinged and mentally gone, how sad and pathetic!
Why doesn’t the AKGOP say something about her TDS antics?
Dump the illegal violent gangs on Lisa’s doorstep.
I suppose the question, does breaking law (illegally entering United States) enable another entity to break the law as well?
And if yes because djt is doing it, than does that same presidential determination or exception not extend to other president’s or is it just the ones you like?
Potentially the issue is the laws themselves. Maybe Nick and Dan (if he can be persuaded by the military industrial complex) should draft new immigration legislation that enables swift return. Otherwise djt is using the same highly questionable legal manipulation that the dems are famous for.
One-trick pony. Say hello to Liz Cheney.
Can hardly wait with anticipation the coming remarks! I just don’t know where to start and believe you me, I’m betting I will agree with each and every one with a rare exception. So, let them begin and I will enjoy my popcorn.
The President might not be a King, but he’s still the President.
“Turn the planes around.” Ha, bitch (your honor) please.
As for Murkowski, she’s so predictable, and she needs to be voted out. What a grand-standing, virtue signaling joke.
Sounds like we need a toxic Rino cleanup fund in Alaska to get rid of the Murkowski Swamp Monster.
Ship them all the Murkowski’s residents where ever she resides. She deserves the best, and lacks no common sense.
The woman is a DEEP in the bureaucracy operative and she should be completely ignored. She is as bad as Biden and makes about as much sense.
Lisa: If you can’t MAGA, resign from OUR SENATE SEAT. OUR’S, not Your’s.
“…….those here illegally and are killing Americans, are entitled to due process……..”
Bullspit. Their “due process” was supposed to begin upon entry into this country. They don’t deserve deportation. If they have their gang symbols tattooed on their bodies, they should be summarily executed.
Murky is repeating Democrat anti-Trump tripe to our Legislature without shame. The Republican Party should “deport” her from the Party post haste. She’s as much a dictator as she accuses Trump of being.