Mayor Michelle Wu testifies before Congress on Boston’s sanctuary city policies

WASHINGTON — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu testified before Congress on Wednesday on the city’s immigration policies as Republicans took aim at four so-called “sanctuary cities” amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

There’s no strict definition for sanctuary policies or sanctuary cities, but the terms generally describe limited cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE enforces U.S. immigration laws nationwide but seeks state and local help, particularly for large-scale deportations, requesting that police and sheriffs alert them to people it wants to deport and hold them until federal officers take custody.

We’ve been getting previews of some of the fireworks expected from Republican leadership for weeks. New Attorney General Pam Bondi is the latest to weigh in, posting her “condolences” to Boston on social media.

“I’d like to extend my condolences to the good people of Boston. Mayor Wu’s actions are callous and an insult to law enforcement across America,” Bondi said in her post on X.

“As a result of the Mayor’s decision to side with public safety threats over law-abiding citizens, DOJ will have no choice but to increase efforts in the city of Boston,” Bondi said, adding “criminals will be prosecuted, illegal aliens will be arrested, and justice will be served.”

Bondi’s comments come after Wu offered condolences to the family of a knife-wielding man who was shot dead by an off-duty officer after he allegedly tried to attack customers inside a Chick-fil-A on Boylston Street.

Wu is not backing down and state Democrats are behind her.

During a news conference on Tuesday, Wu defended Boston’s approach to immigration policies.

“We are the city where people come to do good in the world at a time when this administration seems dead set on the opposite, Wu said. “We’re a city that opens our arms and offers a hand when this administration is more interested in turning its back.”

Wu also previewed the message she hopes to send about “the safest major city in the country” at Wednesday’s hearing.

“We are a city that throws open the doors of opportunity for all of our residents, at a time when this administration in the White House is slamming them shut. We are a city that believes in science and thrives on discovery. We are the home of groundbreaking innovations and world-class care, at a time when this administration is cutting funding for life-saving research. We’re a city made up of colleges and universities, labs and startups, nonprofits, small businesses, civic organizations, neighborhood groups, all working hand in hand with our government to make life better for every one of our neighbors,” Wu said. “We are the city where people come to do good in the world, at a time when this administration seems dead set on the opposite. We’re a city that opens our arms and offers a hand, when this administration is more interested in turning its back.”

Wu arrived at Wednesday’s House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing holding her newborn child. She also had blessed ashes in the shape of a cross on her forehead from an Ash Wednesday service.

Boston’s Trust Act generally restricts how much the police can cooperate with ICE. However, it does allow some cooperation with a division called Homeland Security Investigations when it comes to such issues as combating human trafficking or drug and weapons trafficking.

The city also must follow a 2017 ruling by the state’s highest court that forbids Massachusetts authorities from holding a person otherwise entitled to release from custody based solely on a federal request.

Those requests, called detainers, typically ask federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to give at least 48 hours’ notice before suspected immigrants are released from jail — or to hold them for up to 48 hours after they would normally be released so ICE can pick them up. Otherwise, ICE must go out into the community to arrest them.

Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, hammered Boston’s police commissioner and promised to go to Boston and “bring hell” with him.

That has not sat well in Boston.

Wu, a Democrat up for reelection this year, said that it was “clueless” and “insulting” for Homan to attack the police commissioner and that she wants Boston be a welcoming place for immigrants.

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said handing over defendants makes it harder to gain cooperation from immigrants when investigating crimes.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and New York Mayor Eric Adams are also set to appear Wednesday in front of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. Boston 25′s Cayle Thompson reports live from D.C. starting at 7:45 a.m.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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