One would think the sanctuary-city mayors who appeared before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday left with their tails between their legs.
One would further think they have contacted lawyers. They stubbornly said they would not move to change city policies that forbid cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to deport illegal aliens, or even the sharing of information about them — notably illegal-alien criminals. So GOP committee member Anna Paulina Luna of Florida will recommend federal prosecution for harboring illegals.
If pursued, the prosecutions are a long time coming. Border czar Tom Homan and other government officials have threatened as much. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has already sued two sanctuaries, and has vowed to sue more.
The contentious hearing featured Michelle Wu of Boston, Brandon Johnson of Chicago, Mike Johnston of Denver, and Eric Adams of New York City.
In a bit of unnecessary theater, Wu of Boston showed up with her newborn.
Johnston, who has vowed rebellion and insurrection to stop ICE raids, showed no remorse for his city’s dangerous, destructive policies.
Jim Jordan Nails Johnston
GOP Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, nailed Johnston for Denver’s releasing Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang member Abraham Gonzalez, caught and released at the border on the standing orders of President Joe Biden in 2023.
“A few months later, [Gonzalez is] arrested in Denver, charged with aggravated assault. On March 11, 2024, he’s charged with motor vehicle theft, stole a car,” Jordan told Johnston:
And then on March 20, 2024, Mr. Gonzalez is charged with felony menacing. Six days after that last charge, ICE sent you a detainer which includes an administrative warrant. Basically, it says if you’re going to release this bad guy, this gang member who allegedly stole a car, menaced people, and assaulted people, give us a 48 hour heads up. Is that right? Does that refresh your memory?… You had him in your custody for how long?”
“I know that we released him,” Johnston replied.
Indeed, they did release him, in the jail’s parking lot. ICE was forced to dispatch six officers to arrest him. Plus, Jordan said,
You gave them one hour notice. An officer got assaulted because of your policy, which says we’re going to release him to, in your words, not mine, to the streets.
They have to arrest him in a parking lot. They bring six officers, where they could’ve had one or two just come in your facility in the jail and just take the guy there. But you won’t do it that way.
Rep. Lauren Boebert
“In 2017, Denver passed an ordinance that ensured any city employee who spoke with federal immigration authorities would be fired, among other policies that have led … local and national media outlets to call Denver a sanctuary city,” GOP committee member Lauren Boebert of Colorado told Johnston.
She asked the far-left mayor if he would call for the repeal of the state’s law that forbids honoring detainers from ICE, given that he blamed the law for criminals being released before ICE can arrest them. Detainers are requests to local authorities to notify ICE if a criminal alien is to be released.
Said Johnston, “I do not believe the detainer law should be changed.”
In November, Johnston was clear. He would cordon off the city with police and “50,000 Denverites” to stop ICE from deporting illegals, a threat to trespass 18 U.S. Code 2383:
Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
Rep. Andy Biggs
The mayors, Republican committee member Andy Biggs of Arizona said, are violating 8 U.S. Code 1324, which forbids bringing in and harboring illegals.
“You’re allowing people who have a removal order, who had due process, you’re allowing them to stay in the country,” Biggs told the municipal worthies:
You’re in violation of that, in violation of this law right here [Points to Law]. You are in violation of that law. And you’ve got to start realizing what your culpability is on that. And that’s really what we’re talking about here.
Hilariously, Johnson of Chicago claimed that his city is safer as a sanctuary, which permits illegal-alien rapists and murderers to roam the streets.
Time for Prosecution
Thus did Luna — who wants President Donald Trump’s visage chiseled into Mount Rushmore — tell the quartet she will refer them to the Department of Justice.
“To me, after this line of questioning, it’s very clear that these policies that you have all [implemented and that] are active and alive and well in your cities are in direct violation [of] U.S. Title 8, Code Subsection 1324 and [are] a federal offense,” Luna said:
You all speak about a broken immigration system, and yet here you guys are aiding and abetting in that entire process.
Luna said their policies harm illegals and Americans. While she doesn’t believe the mayors “are bad people,” she said, they are “ideologically misled, which is why, unfortunately, based on your responses, I’m … going to be criminally referring you to the Department of Justice.”
She then held aloft papers that she said would go to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Luna said she wasn’t trying to bully the mayors, but “if you guys continue doing what you’re doing, you’re not going to help anyone, you’re going to hurt more people.
She has recently introduced legislation to reform asylum policy,
Multiple Laws Violated
Border czar Tom Homan has repeatedly warned that mayors who refuse to cooperate with ICE will be charged. So has Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove. Bove also cited 8 U.S. Code 1252:
No court shall have jurisdiction to review any final order of removal against an alien who is removable by reason of having committed a criminal offense.
More trouble for the mayors is 8 U.S. Code 1373, which says a state or local government cannot
prohibit, or in any way restrict, any government entity or official from sending to, or receiving from, the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual.
The Justice Department has sued New York state and New York City for their sanctuary laws. It has also sued the state of Illinois, Chicago, and Cook County.
