Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 Holds Her Ground in House Oversight Committee Questioning

WASHINGTON — As congressional Republicans grilled Democratic mayors over their cities’ sanctuary policies in a Wednesday hearing, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 remained firm in her message: Boston is the safest major city in the country, and its sanctuary policies help keep it that way.

Wu arrived at the Capitol with her baby daughter on her hip and an ash cross on her forehead, prepared to face questions from the Committee on Oversight and Government Reforms alongside the mayors of Chicago, New York City, and Denver.

Over the next five hours, congressional Republicans repeatedly accused the mayors of preventing local and state law enforcement officials from collaborating with their federal counterparts. But Wu denied the accusations, saying that the Boston Police Department routinely works with federal immigration officials when criminal offenses are involved.

The federal government is responsible for immigration enforcement, but often asks local governments for assistance. Local governments are only legally required to assist with the execution of criminal warrants. But the unauthorized presence of undocumented immigrants does not, in itself, constitute a criminal offense.

“Whenever there’s a criminal warrant from any agency, Boston police enforce it,” Wu said. “We follow all state, city, and federal laws in Boston.”

Boston currently prevents local law enforcement from detaining residents based solely on their immigration status or assisting federal immigration enforcement, except on matters of “significant public safety.” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) honed in on those policies, calling Wu “a hypocrite” and accusing her of tolerating violent crime.

Boston mayor Michelle Wu ’07 takes questions from reporters on Wednesday after testifying before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. By Megan L. Blonigen

Mace was one of the many Republicans who demanded yes-or-no answers to complex questions — mirroring the strategy former-Rep. Elise M. Stefanik ’06 used when she grilled former Harvard President Claudine Gay in 2023.

Other Republicans — including Harvard critic Rep. Virgina Foxx (R-N.C.) and Rep. Byron Donalds (R.-Fla.) — pressed mayors on how much their cities spent on emergency services for undocumented immigrants.

“I don’t need a speech, just a number,” Foxx said.

While other mayors volunteered exact figures, Wu responded that Boston does not “ask about immigration status in giving emergency services.”

Donalds pushed Wu for a specific amount in an exchange which quickly devolved into crosstalk as the mayor did not elaborate on her previous statement.

“If you don’t have a hard number, you’re not running your city well,” Donalds said. “Mayor Wu, do you manage your budget or not?”

“I manage my budget, I have a triple A bond rating dating back 10 years,” Wu responded before Donalds cut her off.

Though she dodged some questions, Wu presented a calm and collected front throughout the hearing, defending Boston as the “safest major city in the nation” and maintaing a consistent line in her responses.

“We are going to continue to keep our policies in place that have been working for the people of Boston,” she said.

All four mayors seemed to avoid the congressional spectacle that proved Gay’s undoing in 2023. But Wu, in particular, managed to stay above the fray. And as the hearing drew to a close, she largely escaped the sustained questioning that dogged two of her colleagues, Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson and Denver mayor Michael C. Johnston.

Wu also forcefully denounced statements by Trump “border czar” Thomas D. Homan’s threats to “bring hell” to Boston at the Conservative Political Action Conference. In a February speech, Homan accused BPD commissioner Michael A. Cox of resisting collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, saying he “forgot what it’s like to be a cop.”

“Shame on him,” Wu said. “Shame on him for lying about my city, for having the nerve to insult our police commissioner, who has overseen the safest Boston’s been in anyone’s lifetime.”

Members of the Massachusetts delegation, including Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-Mass.) and Rep. Ayanna S. Pressley (D.-Mass.), repeatedly praised Wu’s leadership.

Lynch attempted to change the tone of the hearing, offering an opportunity for the mayors to explain how their local policies align with federal law. In response, Wu welcomed the possibility of “comprehensive” federal immigration legislation.

“Please, pass comprehensive immigration law that is consistent and compassionate that will make our jobs possible,” she said. “We would so appreciate that partnership.”

Pressley, who represents the majority of Cambridge, praised Wu as a “dedicated leader.” She used her time to criticize President Donald Trump’s approach to immigration.

“We have a man who thinks he is king, screaming anti-immigrant slurs from the Oval Office,” she said. “America has a problem, and it is Donald Trump.”

Wu expressed similar concerns, accusing the administration of “making hard working, tax-paying, God-fearing residents afraid to live their lives” in her opening remarks.

“We are the safest major city in the country because our gun laws are the strongest in the nation, because our officers have built relationships over decades, and because all of our residents can trust that when they call 911 in the event of an emergency or to report a crime, help will come,” Wu said. “This federal administration’s approach is undermining that trust.”

—Staff writer Megan L. Blonigen can be reached at megan.blonigen@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X at @MeganBlonigen

—Staff writer Frances Y. Yong can be reached at frances.yong@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X at @frances_yong_.