Andrew Garbarino

Andrew Garbarino
Official portrait, 117th Congress
Andrew Garbarino
Born	Andrew Reed Garbarino 27 9, 1984
Birthplace	Sayville, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Attorney, politician
Known for	Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee; U.S. Representative for New York's 2nd congressional district
Education	George Washington University (BA) Hofstra University (JD)
Website	[Official congressional website Official site]

Andrew Reed Garbarino (Template:IPAc-en; born September 27, 1984) is an American attorney and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for New York's 2nd congressional district since January 2021. A member of the Republican Party, Garbarino previously represented the 7th district in the New York State Assembly from 2013 to 2020. Born and raised in Sayville, New York, on the south shore of Long Island, he comes from a family with deep roots in Suffolk County Republican politics. After earning a law degree from Hofstra University, Garbarino practiced as an attorney before entering elective office. He succeeded longtime congressman Peter King, who endorsed Garbarino upon announcing his retirement in 2019. In Congress, Garbarino has established a reputation as a moderate Republican who has, on multiple occasions, voted against the majority of his party on significant legislation, including the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the Respect for Marriage Act. In July 2025, he was selected as Chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security, one of the most prominent committee leadership posts in the House, following the resignation of Mark Green.

Early Life

Andrew Reed Garbarino was born on September 27, 1984, in Sayville, a hamlet in the Town of Islip, Suffolk County, on the south shore of Long Island. He grew up in a politically connected family; his father, William Garbarino, was a Sayville-based attorney who became a prominent figure in Suffolk County Republican politics and was reported as likely to become the chairman of the Suffolk County Republican Party. This family background in law and Republican Party organizing on Long Island provided Garbarino with early exposure to both the legal profession and the mechanics of elected government.

Garbarino was raised in the Sayville community and attended local schools in the area. His upbringing in Suffolk County, a suburban region historically competitive in both state and federal elections, shaped his political orientation as a center-right Republican attentive to local constituent concerns including infrastructure, public safety, and Long Island's economy.

Education

Garbarino pursued his undergraduate studies at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He subsequently returned to Long Island to attend Hofstra University School of Law (now the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University), where he earned his Juris Doctor degree in 2009. His legal education at Hofstra prepared him for a career in law practice on Long Island, and the law school later highlighted him as a notable alumnus following his election to the New York State Assembly.

Career

Legal Career

After completing his law degree at Hofstra University in 2009, Garbarino practiced as an attorney on Long Island. He worked in the legal profession for several years before transitioning into full-time public service. His background in law informed his later legislative work, particularly in areas related to regulatory policy and public safety.

New York State Assembly (2013–2020)

In 2012, Garbarino ran for the New York State Assembly in the 7th district, which encompasses portions of southern Suffolk County on Long Island. He won the election, succeeding Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick in the seat. The Newsday editorial board endorsed Garbarino's candidacy for the 7th Assembly District seat during the race.

Garbarino took office on January 1, 2013, and served four terms in the Assembly through December 31, 2020. During his tenure in the Assembly, he represented the 7th district and was reelected in the 2014, 2016, and 2018 general elections. As a Republican member of the Democratic-controlled New York State Assembly, Garbarino served in the minority caucus but focused on constituent service and issues of particular relevance to Long Island.

Upon his departure from the Assembly at the end of 2020, he was succeeded by Jarett Gandolfo in the 7th district seat.

2020 Congressional Campaign

In November 2019, longtime 2nd congressional district Representative Peter King announced that he would not seek reelection in 2020 after having served in the House since 1993. King subsequently endorsed Garbarino as his preferred successor. The endorsement from King, a well-known figure in Long Island and national Republican politics, provided Garbarino with significant institutional support as he entered the congressional race.

Garbarino ran in the 2020 Republican primary for the 2nd congressional district, which at the time covered much of the south shore of Suffolk County, including communities such as Babylon, Lindenhurst, and portions of Islip. He won the Republican primary, securing the party's nomination.

In the November 2020 general election, Garbarino faced Democratic candidate Jackie Gordon. He won the race, securing his seat in the 117th United States Congress.

U.S. House of Representatives (2021–present)

Garbarino was sworn in as the U.S. Representative for New York's 2nd congressional district on January 3, 2021, succeeding Peter King. Since entering Congress, he has represented a district on the south shore of Long Island in Suffolk County and has focused on issues including homeland security, infrastructure, veterans' affairs, and public health matters specific to the New York metropolitan area.

Legislative Record and Cross-Party Votes

Garbarino has gained attention in Congress for voting against his party on several prominent pieces of legislation. In 2021, he was among the Republicans who voted in favor of the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, which sought to expand federal background check requirements for firearm purchases. That same year, he voted in favor of creating a commission to investigate the January 6 United States Capitol attack, breaking with the majority of House Republicans who opposed the measure. He also voted for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a bipartisan infrastructure spending package that ultimately was signed into law by President Joe Biden.

In 2022, Garbarino voted in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act, which codified federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages. He was one of a relatively small number of House Republicans to support the legislation.

In October 2023, during the prolonged Speaker of the House election crisis, Garbarino was one of 18 Republicans who voted against the nomination of Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House in all three rounds of voting. This stance placed him in opposition to a significant faction of his party's conference.

These votes have led political commentators and media outlets to characterize Garbarino as a moderate Republican, a positioning consistent with the political demographics of his Long Island district, which has historically been competitive in general elections.

Homeland Security Committee

Garbarino served as a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and emerged as a leading figure on the committee during the 118th and 119th Congresses. On July 22, 2025, following the resignation of Chairman Mark Green, Garbarino was selected to lead the committee as its new chairman. The House Committee on Homeland Security has jurisdiction over matters related to border security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), cybersecurity, the TSA, FEMA, and the broader operations of the Department of Homeland Security.

In his role as committee chairman, Garbarino has led oversight hearings on immigration enforcement policy. In February 2026, he led hearings involving questioning of top immigration officials, a task that The Washington Post noted placed him in the position of navigating between the expectations of his party's leadership and his own moderate political instincts on immigration matters. The Conversation similarly noted the significance of the committee's increased oversight role with respect to ICE under Garbarino's leadership.

Long Island Priorities and Constituent Service

Throughout his tenure in Congress, Garbarino has directed attention to appropriations and community funding for projects in his Long Island district. In the fiscal year 2026 appropriations cycle, he secured $23.604 million in community project funding for various projects across his district, including infrastructure projects such as the Amityville Beach Ejector Pump Construction Project for the Village of Amityville.

Garbarino also played a role in securing funding for the World Trade Center Health Program, which provides medical monitoring and treatment for individuals affected by the September 11 attacks. He worked with the broader New York congressional delegation to include full, lifetime funding for the program in the FY 2026 appropriations package. When the legislation was signed into law, Garbarino highlighted the accomplishment as a cross-party effort among New York Republicans and the wider delegation.

In December 2025, Garbarino's office issued a summary of his 2025 legislative and constituent service accomplishments, emphasizing results delivered for Long Island communities. In the FY 2026 appropriations minibus, he highlighted the advancement of both Long Island-specific and national priorities.

Personal Life

Andrew Garbarino is from Sayville, New York, where he was raised and has maintained deep community ties. His family has long been involved in Suffolk County civic and political life; his father, William Garbarino, was a Sayville attorney and a figure in the Suffolk County Republican organization. Garbarino has maintained his base on Long Island throughout his career in the state legislature and in Congress.

Recognition

Garbarino's selection as Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee in July 2025 represented one of the most significant leadership appointments for a New York Republican in the 119th Congress. The committee chairmanship placed him in a role with jurisdiction over major federal agencies and policy areas including border security, cybersecurity, counterterrorism, and emergency management.

His bipartisan voting record has drawn attention from national media outlets. The Washington Post profiled his role as a moderate Republican leading a high-profile immigration oversight hearing in February 2026, noting the challenges of balancing party expectations with independent judgment.

Garbarino's work on securing lifetime funding for the World Trade Center Health Program was noted as a significant legislative accomplishment, particularly for the New York delegation and for first responders and survivors affected by the September 11 attacks.

As a Hofstra Law alumnus, Garbarino was recognized by the Hofstra University School of Law as a notable graduate following his election to the New York State Assembly.