Victor Davis Hanson: Secessionist Democrats Need a Constitutional Lesson

Nov 7, 2025

Victor Davis Hanson discusses Nancy Pelosi's controversial proposal to arrest federal agents enforcing immigration laws, challenging the supremacy clause of the Constitution. He highlights the historical context, drawing parallels to the 1960s defiance of federal authority by Southern governors. Hanson warns that current local resistance could lead to dangerous confrontations and repeats the need for local officials to understand their constitutional obligations. He cautions that ignoring federal laws risks reigniting past conflicts and undermining national unity.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

ADVICE

Consult The Supremacy Clause

Read Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, especially the Supremacy Clause, to understand federal primacy.
Follow constitutional oaths and avoid local actions that conflict with federal law.

ANECDOTE

Recent Officials Opposing ICE

Hanson lists recent statements by Pelosi, mayors, and governors opposing ICE enforcement.
He describes incidents where local police refused to assist federal agents amid protests.

INSIGHT

Tech To Evade Federal Enforcement

Some cities plan tools to alert undocumented people to ICE activity, creating deliberate interference.
Hanson sees these measures as formalizing local resistance to federal enforcement.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Last month, former Democrat Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi suggested that local and state authorities in California, a sanctuary state, could arrest federal agents for enforcing federal immigration law, saying that while “the president may enjoy absolute immunity courtesy of his rogue Supreme Court, those who operate under his orders do not.”

The former speaker, as well as other mayors and governors who see fit to nullify federal law, should take a moment and reread the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution, which “details that local state authorities are subject to treaties and the laws that the federal government makes. And, therefore, pursuant to those laws, they are subordinate,” argues Victor Davis Hanson on today’s edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In a Few Words.”

“We know in 1961-63, we had another attempt to nullify the supremacy clause. Southern governors in Mississippi and Arkansas and Alabama said, 'Federal law does not apply here. The Supreme Court ruling does not apply here. In our opinion, we can run our schools the way local people want. And we're gonna resist you.' The Eisenhower, and then later the Kennedy administration, said, 'No, you're not. We have the federal government's military, and we can federalize and hold you in contempt and arrest you because of the supremacy clause.'"

👉Don’t miss out on Victor’s latest short videos by subscribing to The Daily Signal today. You’ll be notified every time a new piece of content drops: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1⁠
Also on Spotify: https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL9753340027

👉Want more VDH? Watch Victor’s weekly, hour-long podcast, “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words,” now! Subscribe to his YouTube channel, and enable notifications: https://www.youtube.com/@victordavishanson7273?sub_confirmation=1

👉More exclusive content is available on Victor’s website: https://victorhanson.com

👉The Daily Signal cannot continue to tell stories, like this one, without the support of our viewers: ⁠https://secured.dailysignal.com/⁠

(00:00) Introduction and Overview

(00:59) Local Authorities vs. Federal Law

(03:23) Historical Context of Federal Supremacy

(04:57) Potential Consequences of Defying Federal Law

(07:38) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices