House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer (R., Ky.) is launching an investigation into the sanctuary city policies of four heavily Democratic cities.
Comer is writing letters Monday to the mayors of Boston, New York, Denver, and Chicago requesting communications and documents related to their sanctuary city laws shielding illegal immigrants from deportation, National Review has learned.
All of those cities have sanctuary laws that directly conflict with the Trump administration’s mass deportation policies that began last week. Denver mayor Mike Johnston, Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson, and Boston mayor Michelle Wu — all of whom are progressive Democrats — have recently reiterated their commitments to upholding sanctuary city laws.
“Sanctuary jurisdictions and their misguided and obstructionist policies hinder the ability of federal law enforcement officers to effectuate safe arrests and remove dangerous criminals from American communities, making Americans less safe,” Comer wrote.
Comer is asking that documents and information from January 2024 to the present be turned over no later than February 10. He is also demanding each of the mayors schedule testimony before the Oversight Committee by February 4.
Johnston’s approach to immigration has received considerable scrutiny because of the presence of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in Denver and the neighboring suburb of Aurora. Federal law enforcement officers conducted a raid just outside Denver’s city limits over the weekend, nabbing 50 suspected Tren de Aragua members overnight.
New York City mayor Eric Adams, a more moderate Democrat, is currently facing federal corruption charges and has criticized his party’s lax approach towards illegal immigration. Adams attended President Donald Trump’s inauguration last week and met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago earlier this month as he angles for a pardon.
On day one, Trump ordered the attorney general and Homeland Security secretary to find ways to lawfully withhold federal funds from sanctuary jurisdictions if they do not comply with the White House’s deportation operations. Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem and Trump’s attorney general pick Pam Bondi have voiced full support for pursing Trump’s agenda on cutting down illegal immigration. Trump further instructed them to consider potential legal action if the sanctuary jurisdictions interfere with federal law.
Trump’s border czar Tom Homan is already overseeing federal agents’s efforts to deport illegal immigrants, with an initial focus on violent criminals and those with gang affiliation. Federal authorities have publicly announced the deportations of hundreds of illegal immigrants and have issued detainers for hundreds more on each day of Trump’s term.
Mass deportations are one of Trump’s signature policy goals and were a major promise during his presidential campaign. Trump signed a flurry of immigration measures at the start of his term including a national emergency declaration for the southern border and an order designating Mexican drug cartels foreign terrorist organizations.