Denver Mayor Mike Johnston will soon be on his way to Washington D.C. to testify before the U.S House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to explain the city’s “sanctuary jurisdiction” policies.
Johnston will join Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and New York Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday, March 5, at 10 a.m. ET.
In a Jan. 27 letter to Johnston, Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer called him out by name.
“Denver is a sanctuary jurisdiction under Colorado law, and Mayor Mike Johnston confirmed that he was prepared to go to jail to protect illegal aliens from federal immigration authorities,” Comer said.
The hearing will be live-streamed on YouTube and the committee’s website.
Along with Comer and ranking committee member Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, R-Va., the 47-member committee includes Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, with whom Johnston has sparred on social media regarding the city’s “Newcomers Playbook,” a guide to welcome immigrants arriving in Denver.
“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. “Denver is a sanctuary jurisdiction that refuses to fully cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.”
RED STATES CRACK DOWN ON CITIES THAT WON’T HELP TRUMP ON IMMIGRATION
In February, Denver secured the global law firm of Covington and Burling, LLP, to represent the city in the upcoming congressional inquiry. Under the one-year contract with a maximum cap of $2 million, the city will pay lawyers a “discounted” rate of $1,000 per hour.
Since 2023, some 43,000 immigrants — who illegally crossed the southern border with Mexico — have arrived in Denver. Early in the humanitarian crisis, Denver officials decided to assume the responsibility for the response, which has cost city taxpayers more than $80 million. City officials have estimated about half of those stayed, and others accepted city-provided bus and airplane tickets elsewhere.