Who are the sanctuary city mayors rebuking Trump immigration orders?

(NewsNation) — Four sanctuary city mayors were questioned by Republican lawmakers Wednesday who claimed they were blameworthy of harboring migrant criminals, violating national instrumentality and perchance obstructing justice.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, New York Mayor Eric Adams, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston faced what Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Summer Lee referred to arsenic a “shakedown” by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

The cities were communal destinations for buses of migrants sent from Texas by GOP Gov. Greg Abbott, which Republican committee members said was owed mostly to their welcoming metropolis policies.

After Chair James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, predicted successful an interrogation with NewsNation earlier the astir six-hour proceeding that mayors would reverse people connected their cities' sanctuary status, each of the leaders said they were committed to policies erstwhile asked by committee members if they would propulsion for welcoming laws to beryllium abandoned and if they would proceed to shield transgression migrants from national instrumentality enforcement.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu rejects claims of harboring criminals

Boston has go the latest people of borderline czar Tom Homan, who warned helium was coming to Boston “and bringing hellhole with him.” Wu has lashed retired against Homan, whom she accused Wednesday of “lying astir my city.”

“I americium present to marque definite that the metropolis of Boston is safe,” Wu said. “Others whitethorn privation to bring hell. We are present to bring bid to cities everywhere.”

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speaks during a Democratic predetermination nighttime enactment successful 2022, successful Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

The politician disputed claims Boston is blameworthy of harboring migrants who person committed crimes and that the Boston Trust Act, the metropolis ordinance that prevents section instrumentality enforcement from cooperating with national migration enforcement efforts, is shielding criminals. Wu said that the Trump administration’s attack to locating transgression migrants is undermining nationalist trust.

She said Boston Police enactment with Immigration and Customs Enforcement erstwhile a transgression warrant has been issued for a migrant. She said erstwhile ICE issues a warrant that deems a migrant “dangerous enough," the metropolis cooperates with national agents.

About 54,000 migrants were sent to Boston and Massachusetts, which person spent astir $1 cardinal connected migrant services since 2022, according to data.

Wu said the rhetoric astir her metropolis has caused radical to unrecorded successful fear.

“This national medication is making hard-working, tax-paying, God-fearing residents acrophobic to unrecorded their lives,” Wu said. “A metropolis that is frightened is not a metropolis that is safe. A onshore ruled by fearfulness is not the onshore of the free.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson defends ‘Welcoming City’ status

More than 51,000 migrants person been sent to Chicago since 2022, and according to data, the metropolis has spent much than $400 cardinal connected migrant attraction and services.

Like the 3 different mayors who testified earlier the committee, Johnson fought backmost against charges that the metropolis has harbored criminals due to the fact that of its sanctuary status. As helium has successful the past, Johnson enactment the influx of migrants arriving successful Chicago astatine Abbott’s feet.

FILE - Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson delivers his inaugural code aft taking the oath of office, May 15, 2023, successful Chicago. The metropolis volition again widen its 60-day bounds connected structure stays for asylum seekers, Johnson announced Monday, Jan. 29, 2024, days up of a deadline that could person evicted astir 2,000 migrants. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)

The Chicago politician repeatedly drew the ire of committee members, who accused the politician of not straight answering questions that were meant to beryllium answered with a “yes” oregon “no,” alternatively relying connected prepared responses that prompted Republican committee members to chide the mayor.

The attacks came from Illinois Republican committee members, including Illinois Congressman Darin LaHood, who noted Johnson’s mediocre support standing and Chicago’s fiscal woes and the city’s execution and convulsive transgression rates, some of which the politician insists person dropped since helium took bureau successful 2023.

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., chided him for not having a circumstantial dollar magnitude the metropolis has spent connected migrant services aft Johnson said it represented 1% of the city’s budget.

“You don’t cognize the existent number?” Donalds said. “No wonderment you’re a atrocious mayor.”

Johnson defended the city’s "Welcoming City" status, which has been successful spot since 1984, saying it promotes spot betwixt residents and section police.

He said that it besides allows immigrants successful the state illegally to supply accusation to constabulary astir unsolved crimes. He besides said that the Trump administration’s ngo to deport millions of migrants is affecting Chicago and its neighborhoods.

“Any actions that amplify fears of deportation marque Chicago much dangerous,” Johnson said.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston won’t repeal sanctuary status

Like his mayoral counterparts, Johnston answered repeated questions astir Denver’s relation successful providing sanctuary to immigrants who entered the state illegally.

That included a situation from Colorado Republican Lauren Boebert, who asked whether Johnston would enactment her propulsion to person Colorado’s sanctuary authorities presumption repealed.

“I bash not judge the detainer instrumentality needs to beryllium repealed,” helium said.

Johnston, successful defending Denver Police, told committee members the metropolis has honored 1,126 ICE detainer requests. The politician said that erstwhile ICE issues an bid for a migrant who is successful custody to beryllium detained, the metropolis notifies the bureau of erstwhile the migrant is acceptable to beryllium released.

However, U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, pressed him connected the merchandise of Abraham Gonzalez, a suspected Venezuelan pack subordinate who helium said was successful constabulary custody for 354 days aft being charged with aggravated assault, car theft and felony menacing. 

Jordan criticized Johnston for lone providing ICE with an hour’s pb clip earlier Gonzalez was acceptable to beryllium released. He said that during the transportation of custody, Gonzalez assaulted 1 of the ICE agents.

Johnston responded that his bureau is reviewing that lawsuit portion arguing that transgression has gone down successful his city.

Since 2022, Denver has received 42,000 migrants and spent $356 cardinal connected migrant services, according to metropolis data.

New York Mayor Eric Adams accused of ‘selling out’ connected migration to debar prosecution

Despite seeing astir 230,000 migrants travel to New York astatine a outgo to the metropolis of astir $6.9 billion, Adams did not look arsenic overmuch scrutiny from the committee arsenic his counterparts during Wednesday’s hearing.

Adams acknowledged that helium had met with Homan and President Donald Trump and had discussed immigration. However, erstwhile pressed connected whether his gathering with Trump astatine Mar-A-Lago progressive conversations astir the Department of Justice’s lawsuit against the New York mayor, Adams said helium did not recall.

Adams antecedently said that New York City would enactment with ICE astatine Riker’s Island, an admittance that brought claims by immoderate that the politician had swung a woody to person federal corruption charges against him dropped.

During 1 exchange, Adams declined to supply circumstantial answers and lone said that helium had spoken astir migration successful wide with Trump and Homan.

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., accused Adams of “selling out” to prevention himself from prosecution.

“There’s nary deal,” Adams said. “No quid pro quo. I did thing wrong.”

Adams said that much than 330 NYPD officers are assigned to enactment with national associated task forces, and 70 were assigned to enactment with Homeland Security Investigations, the transgression limb of ICE.

Adams said that New York’s sanctuary metropolis presumption does not mean that New York “will ever beryllium a haven for convulsive criminals." However, helium said that immigrants, including those who entered the state illegally, wage “billions” successful taxes and lend billions much successful spending powerfulness to the city’s economy.

Asked by Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene whether helium would proceed pursuing sanctuary laws successful New York, Adams replied, “That argumentation is by law. I bash not marque the law. I indispensable run wrong the confines of the Constitution and the law.”