McClintock, Tom

Tom McClintock is a Republican representative from California's 5th congressional district who chairs the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement. This subcommittee holds significant power over immigration and border security matters, with jurisdiction over immigration and naturalization, border security and drug interdiction, admission of refugees, and non-border enforcement. As chair, McClintock sets the subcommittee's agenda, schedules hearings, and determines which immigration-related legislation advances through the committee.

McClintock brings extensive experience in conservative governance to this role. Born in 1956, he earned a bachelor's degree in political science from UCLA in 1978 and worked as a journalist and public policy analyst before entering elected office. He served 22 years in the California legislature, including in the state assembly from 1982 to 1992 and 1996 to 2000, and in the state senate from 2000 to 2008, where he became recognized as a conservative leader. He has represented California's 5th district in Congress since 2009.

As subcommittee chair, McClintock has actively advanced his immigration enforcement agenda. He has held oversight hearings examining federal agencies' immigration policies, including a November 2024 hearing on the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Refugee Resettlement. He has sponsored legislation including the Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act, which targets local jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. McClintock has emphasized border security and legal immigration as central priorities, previously earning a reputation as a strong advocate for these positions when he served as the subcommittee's ranking member in the previous Congress.

McClintock also serves on the House Budget Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee, where he sits on subcommittees focused on federal lands and water, wildlife, and fisheries—issues relevant to his district, which includes Yosemite National Park. His legislative profile reflects a consistent focus on fiscal conservatism, immigration enforcement, and natural resources management affecting his California district.