Denver Mayor Mike Johnston made headlines on Thursday after suggesting that the city's local police and residents would not comply with federal immigration enforcement aimed at dismantling the city's sanctuary protections. "More than us having Denver Police stationed at the county line to keep them out, you would have 50,000 Denverites there," said Johnston during an interview with Denverite.
On Tuesday, newly-minted "border-czar" Tom Homan answered back in an interview with Fox News's Sean Hannity, suggesting that he would have no problem putting Johnston into jail if he decided to move forward with his stance:
"Look, me and the Denver mayor, we agree on one thing. He's willing to go to jail, I'm willing to put him in jail"
Homan referenced federal law, stating that harboring or concealing undocumented immigrants is a felony under Title 8 of the U.S. Code. He added that Johnston's actions could impede federal law enforcement, another potential violation.
"We are going to go do the job," continued Homan. "President Trump has a mandate for the American people. We've got to secure this country, and we have to save American lives," he told Hannity. He also added:
"President Trump has been clear: We want to concentrate on public safety threats and national security threats. And I find it shocking that any mayor of the city would say they don't want public safety threats removed from their neighborhoods."
In response to Homan's remarks, Johnston told The Hill that, while Denver respects "the law, it would push to hold Trump accountable:
"Denver is proud to be a welcoming city, and we will do everything in our power to protect those who live here. We are considering a number of options to strengthen protections for all our residents, and we continue to provide education about the rights of our immigrant community so they can best protect themselves from any unlawful actions"
The exchange highlights the growing tension between federal immigration policies and sanctuary city leadership. Homan stated last week that the new administration plans to withhold federal funds from states and municipalities that refuse to cooperate with its mass deportation initiatives.
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