Republicans push to investigate sanctuary city mayors
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Mayor Brandon Johnson was one of four mayors who testified at a House hearing Wednesday. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Republican representatives say they want four blue city mayors, including Brandon Johnson, to be investigated by the Department of Justice for their welcoming city laws.
The big picture: The threats came during Wednesday's five-hour-plus House Oversight Committee hearing in Washington, D.C. that highlighted the deep divide between Democratic-led cities and many House Republicans on basic tenets of immigration policy.
Driving the news: Florida U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said she would be referring all four mayors — from Chicago, Boston, New York and Denver — to the DOJ for investigation.
Context: Although all four cities faced high levels of migrant arrivals in 2023, unauthorized border crossings dropped sharply in 2024 after an executive order by President Biden and then again after the inauguration of President Trump.
- In February, they hit their lowest levels in decades.
Friction point: The two sides primarily disagree on which circumstances should compel local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE agents.
- All the mayors stressed that they work with ICE when presented with a criminal warrant.
- Republican representatives, however, say the cities must do more, including honoring ICE detainers, which would require holding arrestees longer than legally allowed.
- Several municipalities have been sued for the use of detainers when it was found the detainees were U.S. citizens.
- Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona told the mayors that because of their policies, "Everyone of you is exposed to criminal culpability here."
What they're saying: "We comply with all laws, local, state and federal," Johnson said repeatedly when presented with accusations that Chicago's sanctuary policies violate federal law.
By the numbers: Many Republican committee members suggested that immigrants increase crime and cited specific crimes committed by undocumented people, but all four mayors cited recent data about falling crime in their cities.
- A researcher from the Cato Institute presented data showing immigrants are more likely to report crime and half as likely to be incarcerated and 26% less likely to commit or be convicted of murder than U.S.-born citizens.
"The cooperation of all people, regardless of their immigration status, is essential to achieving the city's goals of reducing crime and pursuing justice for victims," Johnson said.
The other side: U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer of Alabama, however, noted that any crime committed by an undocumented person was one too many, because it wouldn't have happened if the person hadn't been there.
Zoom in: Johnson was singled out by several Republicans for his single-digit approval ratings and his administration's reluctance to allow the public into a City Hall gift room.
- New York Mayor Eric Adams, the one mayor who has agreed to honor detainers, was also repeatedly questioned about criminal charges against him that were recently dropped.
Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who represents the Northwest suburbs, used the hearing to tout Chicago's accolades including its eight-time win as best big city from Conde Nast Traveler readers.
- He also suggested that Americans were facing bigger issues than sanctuary laws.
- "The wholesale cost of a dozen eggs has gone from $6.59 since January 19, when Donald Trump took office, to $8.39 — a 27% increase," Krishnamoorthi said, urging Trump to issue a single "executive order on bird flu."
What we're watching: Whether the DOJ goes forward with the investigation, as Luna is requesting.