- 4 Democratic mayors testify before House Oversight Committee hearing
- Republicans claim sanctuary policies endanger public safety
- DOJ announces intensified immigration enforcement in Boston
- Cities maintain policies comply with federal law
The political battle over immigration reached fever pitch as mayors from four major cities faced intense congressional scrutiny. Boston's Michelle Wu, Chicago's Brandon Johnson, Denver's Mike Johnston, and New York City's Eric Adams presented a united front defending their jurisdictions' sanctuary policies during a 6-hour hearing marked by partisan clashes.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) opened proceedings by declaring: These cities have become safe havens for criminal aliens while ignoring federal statutes.The hearing occurs amid increased ICE activity in urban centers, with Attorney General Pam Bondi confirming 23% more deportations from sanctuary cities since January 2025.
Democrats countered with data showing sanctuary cities experience 15% lower violent crime rates than comparable non-sanctuary municipalities. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) cited a Harvard study demonstrating that limited local ICE cooperation increases immigrant community trust in law enforcement.
The Trump administration's financial pressure tactics emerged as critical context. Federal grants worth $2.8B have been withheld from 14 sanctuary cities since 2024, including $127M in critical infrastructure funding for Chicago. Mayor Johnson revealed his city has redirected $45M from emergency reserves to maintain immigrant support services.
Boston's situation illustrates the conflict's real-world impacts. After Mayor Wu declined to share undocumented residents' employment records with ICE, the DOJ deployed 300 additional agents to New England. Local businesses report 40% decrease in patronage at immigrant-owned establishments since the enforcement surge began.
Legal experts warn of constitutional showdowns as multiple states consider legislation requiring ICE access to municipal databases. A pending Supreme Court case (States v. California) could determine whether cities must honor federal detainer requests – a decision with implications for 156 sanctuary jurisdictions nationwide.
Economic analyses reveal sanctuary cities contribute 18% of U.S. GDP despite representing 12% of municipalities. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates strict ICE collaboration could cost these cities $98B annually in lost productivity and tax revenue.
As the hearing concluded, Mayor Adams announced New York's new Legal Defense Fund for immigrants – a $10M initiative partially funded by private donors. We won't be bullied into abandoning our values,Adams stated, encapsulating the urban leaders' defiant stance.