Boston Mayor Wu spells out immigrants' impact in congressional hearing
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One in four Boston residents was born in another country, Mayor Michelle Wu told a congressional panel Wednesday.
- And she's proud of it.
Why it matters: Congressional Republicans grilled Wu and three other big-city majors about state and local laws that restrict police from cooperating with federal immigration agents outside of criminal matters unless they have a judicial warrant.
In her opening speech, Wu counted the ways immigrants have shaped Boston and the rest of the nation.
- One in seven signers of the Declaration of Independence was an immigrant (though the colonies did not have a formal immigration system set up).
- One in five Red Sox players on the last four team rosters that won a World Series was an immigrant.
- All but one of Boston University's faculty members who have won a Nobel Prize were immigrants.
What they're saying: "All of them chose this country as their home because, like my mom and dad, they believe that where you've been doesn't limit where you're going," she said.
- Wu went on to say "shame on Tom Homan," the border czar who said he is "bringing hell to Boston."
The other side: Congressional Republicans blasted Wu and other mayors for not working with ICE, accusing them of letting foreign-born criminals run free and questioning claims and data that violent crime is down in Boston and other cities.
- "If it were up to me, I mean, I'd be considering referring charges," U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer, an Alabama Republican, said of the mayors.
- "We've got a problem here when we decide that there's some laws that we will obey and some laws that we won't."