The mayors of Boston, Chicago, and Denver defend their policies as legal and safe.
Four major city mayors testified on Capitol Hill on March 5, defending their policies that protect illegal immigrants from federal immigration authorities, known as sanctuary policies.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, and New York Mayor Eric Adams each fielded questions on their state and local laws from members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
Their common claim: Their cities are safe, and their policies do not violate federal law.
While the Democratic mayors tiptoed around using the term “sanctuary city,” they pushed back on Republicans’ claim that their cities’ policies put criminal illegal immigrants before their constituents and the Constitution.
As Republican committee members questioned the cities’ cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), several Democrats sympathized with their dilemma of balancing public safety and the desire to provide a welcoming environment for illegal immigrants.
The hearing comes amid the Trump administration’s nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration, starting with those who have committed a crime. Several Democrat-run cities and states have made it known that they will not comply or cooperate with federal immigration officers conducting operations in their areas.
Here are five highlights from the proceedings.
Republicans Say Sanctuary Cities Are Illegal
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) asked each of the mayors on the panel if they follow the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, which states that the federal laws of the United States are “the supreme law of the land.”
Adams said the question was “way over” his head, while Johnson said Chicago follows all local, state, and federal laws.
Wu, meanwhile, said she was unfamiliar with the Supremacy Clause and pledged to follow all local, state, and federal laws. That prompted Gosar to question which laws she would follow if her local laws conflicted with federal law.
“The Constitution, as I understand it, doesn’t require cities or police officers or anyone to follow … federal laws in conflict with local laws or state laws,” the Boston mayor said.
Gosar disagreed.
“The Constitution is explicit that the federal government has jurisdiction and supremacy over all immigration laws,” he said.
Other Republican members raised the same point, saying that sanctuary city policies are in direct violation of federal law.
