Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser cast doubt on the ability of President-elect Donald Trump's administration to carry out mass deportations, saying that "D.C. has never been involved in the enforcement of immigration laws."
"I don't think Congress is going to make us the INS," Bowser added on Monday, in reference to the Immigration and Naturalization Service. "That would come with a lot of money and a lot more officers," she added.
Bowser went on to say that she doesn't think D.C. will get involved in immigration enforcement but that "we have to be mindful of what is coming from the federal government." She explained that under "extraordinary circumstances" the law allows the U.S. president is allowed to "take over" the D.C. police department.
She clarified that it would only happen under conditions such as an emergency declaration and on a temporary basis. "I don't want to leave any D.C. resident with the impression that a wand could be raised and that would happen. It would require extraordinary circumstances and/or a challenge to very clear law."
Bowser is the latest official to anticipate her opposition to enforcing Trump's mass deportation plans. Last week, the Boston City Council unanimously voted to maintain its status as a sanctuary city, with its Boston Trust Act working to "delineate the distinct roles and responsibilities of the Boston Police Department from those of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, thereby promoting trust between local law enforcement and immigrant communities."
Trump has threatened to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities, but Mayor Michelle Wu recently said that she will protect immigrants without legal status in "every way possible." Similarly, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy said on MSNBC that she would use "every tool in the toolbox" to "protect our residents" and to "hold the line on democracy and the rule of law." Other cities taking steps in this direction include Denver, Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles.
In contrast, New York City Mayor Eric Adams revealed over the weekend he is weighing using his executive power as mayor to bypass the city's sanctuary laws to allow federal agents to more easily deport undocumented immigrants.
The mayor stopped by CBS-TV's "The Point With Marcia Kramer," where he discussed his recent views on immigration and his controversial critiques of the city's sanctuary laws for migrants.
When asked by Kramer if there should be more cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the city, Adams did not hesitate to agree.
"Yes, I do believe that," he said decisively. "Those who are committing crimes in our city must be addressed, and we should change the current sanctuary city law to address that issue."
The city's sanctuary rules restrict city officials from cooperating with federal immigration agents. New York City mayors going back to Ed Koch, who was in office from 1978 to 1989, have pointed to sanctuary policies to encourage immigrants to use city services, such as hospitals, schools and police without fear of deportation, according to Gothamist.
The city also passed a law in 2014 that ensured undocumented individuals accused of crimes would be given due process prior to deportation proceedings. City officials may turn over only those undocumented individuals who have been convicted of one of a list of 170 serious crimes within the last five years— and only when a judge has signed a warrant authorizing federal authorities to detain them.
But Adams, a former NYPD captain and long-time critic of such laws, revealed during his recent interviews that he may change them.
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