Democratic Mayors Michelle Wu and Brandon Johnson could not explicitly tell Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer Wednesday whether they would turn over illegal immigrant criminals to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The cities of Boston, Chicago, New York City and Denver have not lifted their longstanding sanctuary city statuses even as President Donald Trump’s administration has cracked down on illegal immigrants with arrests and deportations, particularly those with criminal records. During Wednesday’s hearing before the Oversight Committee, Comer could not get a direct answer from Wu or Johnson as he repeatedly asked them if they are willing to follow federal law by turning illegal migrants with criminal records over to ICE.
Comer cited an incident where an illegal immigrant raped and impregnated his 14-year-old daughter while living in a shelter for illegal immigrants.
“Mayor Wu, under Boston law, would you turn this criminal over to ICE on a detainer?” the Kentucky Republican asked.
“Whenever there’s a criminal warrant, Boston police enforce that and hold them accountable,” Wu said, leading Comer to ask the question again. “This happened outside the city of Boston, but I can tell you in the city, whenever somebody commits a crime, whenever there’s a criminal warrant, we hold them accountable. If ICE deems them dangerous enough to hold, obtain a criminal warrant, then Boston police will enforce it.”
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Comer said he would take that answer as a “no.” The congressman then turned to Johnson, asking if he would turn over an illegal immigrant suspected of murder, kidnapping and sexual assault in 2024.
“Our local law enforcement works hard everyday to get criminals off the streets of Chicago,” Johnson said.
“Would you turn this criminal over to ICE?” Comer interrupted. “That’s one of the topics of this conversation, that’s one of the problems we’ve heard from Tom Homan and from the Homeland Security, is that in your cities, when somebody’s apprehended for a crime and ICE is now, with this new federal policy, wanting to come in and deport the criminal alien that you will not cooperate with ICE. Will you turn that criminal over to ICE?”
“We do not harbor criminals. Our local law enforcement works hard everyday to ensure the city of Chicago is safe,” the mayor answered, leading Comer to once again repeat his question. “With a criminal warrant from the federal government, our local law enforcement repeatedly collaborates with federal agents.”
The Chicago mayor could not answer whether the criminal should be turned over to ICE, but would be “subject” to deportation with a criminal warrant.
The mayors present at the hearing have threatened to not comply with the Trump administration’s immigration laws, including Democratic Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, who said in November that he would obstruct deportation efforts. Border czar Tom Homan told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that Johnston could “go to jail” if he attempted to prevent ICE from deporting illegal immigrants in his city.
Johnston later backtracked his comments, but said he encourages Denver residents to protest the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Wu has come under fire from Homan for saying that immigrant communities are being “mischaracterized,” with the border czar stating that he oversaw the arrest of several criminals who have committed heinous crimes throughout Massachusetts. Among the many illegal immigrant criminals arrested in Massachusetts, ICE arrested a Haitian gang member with 17 prior convictions on Jan. 23 who praised former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden for allowing him to enter the U.S.
The border czar said nine illegal immigrants arrested for child rape in Massachusetts were released back into the street rather than being turned over to ICE during his appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). In June 2024, a 24-year-old illegal immigrant from Guatemala had been released on bail in the state after having been arrested for raping a child in Bristol County.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced lawsuits against Illinois and New York over their alleged violations of federal immigration law.
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