Democrat Boston Mayor Michelle Wu vowed on Tuesday to defy the Department of Justice (DOJ) by protecting criminal illegal immigrants in her city.
The DOJ sent a letter to Wu and other Democratic mayors and governors across the U.S. stating that they must submit a plan that outlines their compliance with federal immigration laws by Tuesday. During a press conference, Wu stated that she will not comply with Attorney General Pam Bondi’s request and called on the administration to “stop attacking” American cities that protect illegal immigrants.
“We’re here again, today, because last week, Boston received a letter from the attorney general of the United States [Pam Bondi] on an official letter head from the federal government threatening to prosecute city officials and withhold federal funds unless we cooperate with carrying out mass deportations,” Wu said, followed by booing from the audience. “At a time when this federal administration is already causing so much fear and harm in our communities, these threats are serious and consequential. But our same communities have told me, loud and clear, that silence in the face of oppression is not an option.”
“The U.S. Attorney General asked for a response by today. So here it is, here is our response. Stop attacking our cities to hide your administration’s failures. Unlike the Trump administration, Boston follows the law. And Boston will not back down from who we are and what we stand for,” Wu continued.
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In the letter, the DOJ threatened to withhold all federal funding and file civil suits if Boston does not comply.
“By Tuesday, August 19, 2025, please submit a response to this letter that confirms your commitment to complying with federal law and identifies the immediate initiatives you are taking to eliminate laws, policies, and practices that impede federal immigration enforcement,” Bondi wrote. “This letter does not constitute final agency action and nothing in this letter creates any right or benefit enforceable at law against the United States.”
Wu hinted on Monday that she would not “back down” and comply, stating that “Boston is a home for everyone,” according to NBC Boston.
Wu’s 2021 mayoral campaign received over $300,000 from Gary Yu, the founder of Boston International Media Consulting, with the help of a Chinese civic association that he leads, the Daily Caller News Foundation exclusively reported. Yu is listed as an official by an agency of a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence and intelligence service called the United Front Work Department (UFWD), and operates as a recruiter for the Chinese government.
Yu has organized Chinese Americans in Massachusetts to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Democratic lawmakers, including Wu. He has personally donated $45,515 to various Massachusetts Democratic politicians since 2018, including $3,200 to Wu, according to the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance.
The Boston mayor also has a good relationship with The Boston Urban Forum (BUF), a non-profit founded by Yu where some members of the CCP have served as moderators and guest speakers for at least half of its events.
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