A Hearing with Sanctuary City Mayors

The House Oversight Committee convened a full committee hearing to examine sanctuary city policies and their impact on public safety, bringing together the mayors of Boston, New York, Chicago, and Denver alongside an immigration policy expert.

According to the hearing’s Republican majority, sanctuary city policies represent a failure to enforce federal immigration law. Committee leadership alleged that these cities’ restrictions on cooperation with federal immigration enforcement have created environments where criminal immigrants are released back onto streets, allegedly endangering public safety. The chair stated that sanctuary policies “only create Sanctuary for criminals” and claimed that sanctuary cities refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts, actively working to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.

The Republican majority presented specific cases as examples. According to the committee chair, in Chicago an illegal alien previously arrested for attempting to lure a child was arrested again for murder; when ICE lodged a detainer, Chicago authorities allegedly released him back onto the street due to the city’s sanctuary policy, resulting in a death. The chair argued that sanctuary cities force federal officers into “uncertain dangerous circumstances” to make arrests, endangering both officers and the public.

In contrast, the Democratic minority and the four mayors testified that sanctuary policies actually enhance public safety by maintaining community trust with law enforcement. According to Mayor Eric Adams of New York City, sanctuary classifications do not mean the city will be a safe haven for violent criminals. Adams stated that New York must create an atmosphere allowing law-abiding residents—documented or not—to access vital services without fear, arguing that when undocumented individuals fear deportation, they avoid seeking medical care, reporting crimes, or cooperating with police.

Mayor Mike Johnston of Denver described the city’s response to receiving 42,000 migrants over 18 months, the largest per capita influx of any American city. According to Johnston, Denver opened shelters, helped eligible individuals apply for work authorization, and connected people to jobs and housing. Johnston alleged that despite this influx, crime in Denver declined: homicides dropped 17 percent, shooting victims dropped 24 percent, and auto theft fell 29 percent.

Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago emphasized that Chicago’s welcoming city ordinance and related policies do not prevent cooperation with federal law enforcement on criminal matters. According to Johnson, Chicago’s violent crime is trending down, with 2024 showing the lowest homicide rate in five years. Johnson alleged that scapegoating entire communities for political purposes is “grandstanding, not governing” and that any actions amplifying deportation fears make the city more dangerous by reducing witness and victim cooperation with police.

Mayor Michelle Woo of Boston testified that Boston is the safest major city in the nation, with record lows in gun violence and homicides. According to Woo, this safety results not despite immigration but because of it, citing historical immigrant contributions and current community trust in law enforcement. Woo described fear spreading through Boston communities due to federal immigration enforcement actions, stating that “a city that’s scared is not a city that’s safe.”

David Beer, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, testified that the president’s “chaotic indiscriminate deportation plan” harms public safety and threatens Americans’ rights. According to Beer, empirical research shows that reasonable restrictions on ICE cooperation do not increase crime rates, that immigrants commit serious crimes at half the rate of U.S.-born Americans, and that data from Texas shows illegal immigrants are 36 percent less likely to commit and be convicted of murder. Beer alleged that the administration has misrepresented its enforcement targets, stating that most recent ICE arrests have been of people without criminal records, contrary to administration claims.

The ranking Democrat criticized what he characterized as selective law enforcement, alleging that the Department of Justice has attempted to force conditional dismissal of charges against one witness in exchange for submission to the administration’s immigration agenda. According to the ranking member, seven federal prosecutors—including Republicans and a former clerk to Chief Justice John Roberts—resigned in opposition to this alleged action.

In House Oversight Committee’s Own Words

“Sanctuary policies violate Federal immigration law by protecting criminal aliens at the expense of the American people.”

“The rule of law is being weaponized to shield the president from accountability and abandon our traditions.”

“More immigrants lower homicide rates—that holds true across the United States.”

The hearing reflects fundamental disagreement over whether local restrictions on immigration enforcement cooperation enhance or undermine public safety, with Republicans emphasizing alleged failures to turn over criminal immigrants to federal authorities and Democrats emphasizing the role of community trust in achieving public safety outcomes.