Republican Rep. Mike Lawler is breaking from the Trump administration on its deportation push, calling for leniency for some illegal immigrants in an essay for The New York Times.

“The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis this month were tragic and preventable,” Lawler, R-N.Y., writes in an essay published Tuesday. “No matter where you stand on immigration enforcement, the shootings show that what the country has been doing is not working.”

Lawler, who represents a district in New York’s Hudson Valley that favored Democrat presidential nominee Kamala Harris over now-President Donald Trump, argues in the essay that Congress must codify new immigration law.

“Along with building on Mr. Trump’s border policies, a realistic plan would provide a path to legal status—not citizenship—for long-term illegal immigrants without criminal records,” Lawler writes. 

“This path would be rigorous and fair, and it would aim to keep families together. Fair means those who benefit would face mandatory work requirements, forgo public assistance and pay fines and any back taxes they might owe.”

Lawler additionally criticizes sanctuary city policies and calls for administration officials to investigate the deaths of Good and Pretti and testify before Congress.

Lawler is a co-sponsor of the “dignity act,” which would put a temporary pause on the removal of some migrants working in the United States.

The swing district congressman recently bucked the party line by voting to resurrect COVID-era Obamacare premium tax credit levels that expired at the end of 2025.

The essay received mixed reception in some conservative circles.

This is an odd, but under the circumstances entirely predictable, article. Lawler wants Congress to step in to keep Trump's secure border and increase Trump's deportation numbers–"but humanely"–and then provide a "rigorous and fair…path to legal status–not citizenship–for… https://t.co/PYdlXDyd27

— Byron York (@ByronYork) January 27, 2026

“Been saying watch out for the amnesty push,” wrote Mike Howell, president of The Oversight Project, in response to the essay. “I imagine the legislation will be some modest sanctuary city reform + gigantic amnesty.”

Byron York, a long-time conservative journalist, wrote in response that “this kind of talk has been going on for decades” and that history indicates “Congress will not legislate Trump-level deportation numbers.”

Department of Homeland Security officials did not immediately reply to The Daily Signal with response to Lawler’s essay.

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