Boston continues to stand resolute in its sanctuary status as Mayor Michelle Wu testified on Capitol Hill Wednesday morning. Wu rejected republican accusations that Boston’s sanctuary status undermines public safety, instead arguing that trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement makes the city safer.
The Mayor’s presence in Washington, D.C., comes after Tom Homan, the executive associate director for Enforcement and Removal Operations, commonly referred to as the “border czar,” made comments about Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox not complying with U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement when speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Several other Mayors were also summoned to speak including Mayor Eric Adams of New York City, Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago, and Mayor Mike Johnston of Denver.
“I’m coming to Boston,” Homan said. “I’m bringing hell with me.”
During the hearing, Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly asked Wu about Homan’s comments, to which Wu gave a critical response to Homan’s attitudes on immigration and defended Cox. The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to The Beacon’s request for comment.
“Shame on him for lying about my city, for having the nerve to insult our police commissioner,” Wu said. “Bring him here under oath, and let’s ask him some questions. I’m here to make sure that the city of Boston is safe. Others may want to bring hell, we are here to bring peace to cities everywhere.”
Wu hit back at Republicans about what would make American cities safe in the wake of the Trump administration.
“If you wanted to make us safe, pass gun reforms, stop cutting Medicaid, cancer research, [and] funds for veterans,” Wu said. “That is what will make our city safe.”
As the United States is approaching its 250th anniversary, Wu reminded Capitol Hill of Boston’s history, saying it is the residents who set the tone and agenda of the city’s government.
“Our local community knows best and we can tell you in Boston, [that] over our history, it has not been the word of presidents, or kings, or presidents who think they are kings, that set what happens,” Wu said. “It is our residents.”
Fla. Rep. Byron Donalds, one of Trump’s most loyal allies on Capitol Hill, asked Wu whether she manages Boston’s budget, initiating a fiery exchange.
“We have the numbers to prove it. I manage my budget. I have a AAA bond rating dating back ten years,” Wu said.
Donalds interrupted, “So, to the city of Boston, just understand that your mayor does not care how much of your resources she has spent on people who are not citizens.”
Wu rejected this notion and emphasized that “The city of Boston is sick and tired of having people outside of Boston telling us what we need.”
ICE has recently conducted raids in Boston following several executive orders from Trump relating to illegal immigration. In response to the raids, Cox affirmed that the Boston Police Department would focus on holding criminals accountable, regardless of immigration status.
“We don’t care about your immigration status. What we do care about is: Are you a victim of crime in our city, or are you a victimizer? We will hold you accountable for that, and that doesn’t matter what your immigration status is,” Cox said to WCVB.
Wu has continued to stand in support of Cox, making statements in his defense on social media in response to Homan, prior to the hearing.
“It goes without saying that our police commissioner has my complete confidence and support,” Wu said in a social media statement directly after Homan’s comments.
As a sanctuary city, Boston has policies and laws like the 2014 Trust Act that limit how cooperative local law enforcement needs to be with federal immigration authorities, particularly ICE. Because of this, Boston officials do not usually assist ICE in enforcing federal immigration laws unless required by law, especially when it applies to detaining or deporting undocumented immigrants.
Chelsea and Somerville, both of which are identified as sanctuary cities, have also pushed back against the Trump administration’s policies, recently filing a lawsuit against the administration over its threats to cut funding. The lawsuits maintain that the recent executive orders from Trump regarding immigration policies.
This is not the first time Boston has clashed with federal law enforcement agencies working under Trump. In 2017, ICE intensified deportation efforts across the country under the Secure Communities Program. The program specifically addresses information sharing between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, leading to an increase in ICE detainer requests nationwide. In response to this, Boston remained committed to the Trust Act, which in this case restricts local law enforcement from honoring ICE detainer requests without a judicial warrant.
Massachusetts is now considering similar protections mirroring sanctuary city status on a larger level through the introduction of the Safe Communities Act. The act would prohibit police in Massachusetts from being deputized as federal immigration agents and bar police from asking about someone’s immigration status. The act is still under debate as it has faced opposition around concerns related to public safety and law enforcement efficacy.
“This is our city. We’re going to continue following and enforcing the laws to keep all Bostonians safe,” Wu said on social media in response to Homan.
