Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is defying the Trump administration’s demand that sanctuary cities comply with federal immigration enforcement, declaring the city “will not back down” despite threats of funding cuts and lawsuits.
On Tuesday, Wu responded to United States Attorney General Pam Bondi’s letter requiring Boston to submit a compliance plan by the federal deadline. The Department of Justice warned that failure to comply could result in civil suits and the loss of federal funding.
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“Here is our response: Stop attacking our cities to hide your administration’s failures,” Wu said at a press conference. “Unlike the Trump administration, Boston follows the law, and Boston will not back down from who we are and what we stand for.”
Boston @MayorWu (D) on Justice Department letter to "sanctuary jurisdictions" to fully comply with immigration enforcement: "The US Attorney General asked for a response by today, so here it is … Stop attacking our cities to hide your administration's failures." pic.twitter.com/y8JUa5p02m
— CSPAN (@cspan) August 19, 2025
Last week, Bondi issued letters to 32 mayors and governors nationwide, targeting jurisdictions with sanctuary policies. Boston was given until Aug. 19 to confirm compliance with federal law.
“You are hereby notified that your jurisdiction has been identified as one that engages in sanctuary policies and practices that thwart federal immigration enforcement,” Bondi’s letter said. “This ends now.”
On Fox News, Bondi emphasized the seriousness of the ultimatum: “You must comply. We want to know what you’re doing to comply with our federal government.”
???????? Pam Bondi says the Trump administration plans to deploy federal law enforcement to sanctuary cities to control the crime
— JOSH DUNLAP (@JDunlap1974) August 18, 2025
""We are going to send in law enforcement… If they're not going to keep their citizens safe" pic.twitter.com/6bhBkAPfY3
Wu framed Boston as a city of inclusivity, stating, “Boston is a home for everyone. We will not back away from our community that has made us the safest major city in the country and a leading example of why cities around the country make this country safer, healthier, and more prosperous for all Americans.”
She added that the federal government’s threats reflect broader policy failures: “Under the Trump administration, groceries are less affordable, housing is harder to build, cures for cancer are farther away, and good news on our economy has been as hard to find as the Epstein list.”
Federal officials blasted Wu’s stance.
DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said on Tuesday: “It’s a bizarre press conference, but the lives of Americans is no joking matter. Sanctuary city politicians, like Mayor Wu, are playing Russian roulette with the American public’s lives.”
"The lives of Americans is no joking matter. These sanctuary city politicians, like Mayor Wu out of Boston, are playing Russian roulette with the American public’s lives."
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) August 19, 2025
If sanctuary city politicians refuse to enforce the law, DHS will FLOOD THE ZONE with ICE law enforcement… pic.twitter.com/wP4Cgt1VHt
McLaughlin cited recent ICE arrests in Boston involving child predators and violent offenders, warning: “If these sanctuary politicians won’t follow the law, then we will be forced to flood the zone.”
Bondi has also indicated the administration is expanding ICE resources, with over 10,000 new enforcement officers expected to be hired.
Wu’s defiance comes as ICE points to a series of high-profile crimes involving undocumented immigrants across Massachusetts. Federal officials argue these cases highlight the dangers of sanctuary city policies, pointing to recent arrests in and around Boston.
One of the most alarming cases involves Cory Bernard Alvarez, a Haitian national who was arrested on charges of the rape of a minor at a migrant shelter. In another case, Jose Fernando-Perez, a Guatemalan national, was charged in Framingham with multiple counts of child rape, including aggravated offenses.
Authorities also detained Mynor Stiven De Paz-Munoz, another Guatemalan national, who was accused of child abuse in the Boston area. Meanwhile, Akim Marc Desire, a Haitian national, was arrested after allegedly molesting a 10-year-old neighbor.
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On Nantucket, several Salvadoran nationals were taken into custody in a sting operation that resulted in multiple charges of child sexual assault. In Lawrence, north of Boston, Gilberto Avila-Jara, an Ecuadorian national, was charged with more than 20 counts of child sexual assault-related offenses.
ICE officials argue these arrests underscore the stakes of the sanctuary city debate, insisting that such offenders pose a “significant threat” to communities across Massachusetts.