Immigrant rights advocates across the United States are expressing strong support and enthusiasm for the “sanctuary city” policies upheld by several major cities, just a day before a significant congressional event. The celebration comes ahead of a high-profile House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing scheduled for Wednesday, March 5, 2025, where the mayors of four prominent sanctuary cities—Boston, Chicago, Denver, and New York—will testify.
These mayors—Michelle Wu, Brandon Johnson, Mike Johnston, and Eric Adams—are expected to defend their cities’ policies against scrutiny from Republican lawmakers, who argue that such measures violate federal immigration law and jeopardize public safety by shielding undocumented individuals, including those with criminal records.
The hearing comes at a tense moment, with the Trump administration intensifying its mass deportation agenda, deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents into communities and even exploring measures to strip legal status from documented immigrants and citizenship from U.S.-born children of immigrants. Congressional Republicans see the hearing as an opportunity to challenge these Democratic mayors, accusing sanctuary policies of undermining federal law and shielding criminals.
However, the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) and its allies view it as a platform for pro-immigrant leaders to articulate a vision of inclusive, intimidation-free communities.
“We’ve fought for sanctuary city policies because we know what our communities need to stay safe,” said Angelica Salas, Executive Director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) in California. “Federal immigration agents are not welcome to roam California neighborhoods, businesses, schools, and houses of worship, looking for community members to terrify and detain. That is not what we need, and that is not how we want our tax dollars spent. Immigrants are beloved members of our families and communities, and it’s our democratic right to enact protection policies that match our values. The message is simple: Border Patrol, ICE, and other federal agencies participating in immigration enforcement activities will not be allowed to unleash terror in California.”
Ahead of the hearing, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson reaffirmed their commitment to genuine public safety and protection from ICE. The City of Los Angeles, although not sending a representative to the congressional hearing, also strengthened its sanctuary city policy following Trump’s re-election.
In contrast, New York City’s Eric Adams has drawn sharp criticism for aligning with the Trump administration’s deportation rhetoric, a move seen by critics as a bid to deflect from his own legal troubles. Murad Awawdeh of the New York Immigration Coalition and FIRM blasted Adams, saying, “While we see mayors across the country actually standing up for the people they represent, here in New York, Eric Adams is now doing the bidding for Donald Trump’s deportation plans. New York’s long-standing sanctuary policies work—they keep families together and build trust in public institutions like schools and hospitals, making us all safer. In this critical moment for our communities, we are calling on Mayor Adams to start fighting for the protections of New Yorkers, instead of his own.”
Natalia Aristizabal of Make the Road New York echoed this sentiment, accusing Adams of abandoning the city’s long-standing sanctuary ethos to “cozy up to Trump and salvage his political career.” “For the past months, we have witnessed how Mayor Adams shamelessly fails New Yorkers and their families, as he prioritizes cozying up to Trump and his mass deportation agenda to salvage his political career. While he does that, we have fought tooth and nail to protect our immigrants and uphold our long-standing immigration policies that protect all New Yorkers. Our city and every city across the country are safer, and its people can thrive, when they do not have to be terrified that, on their way to work, school, or church, they will be swept up in a raid and never see their loved ones again. New York City is a city that welcomes people, no matter their race, country of origin, or language they speak, and we will continue to protect immigrant families and communities,” said Natalia Aristizabal.
Elizabeth Sweet of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition praised Mayor Wu for standing firm against federal overreach. “Tens of thousands of immigrants call Boston home, making our city strong economically and culturally. We applaud Mayor Wu for representing Boston values in bravely standing up to leaders in Washington who shamelessly demonize immigrants every chance they get. Like Mayor Wu, we know that enlisting the Boston Police Department to do the job of federal ICE agents would lead to distrust across all communities and prevent police officers from focusing on actually keeping our city safe,” Sweet said, noting plans for a rally outside Boston City Hall on Wednesday.
Advocate Gladis Ibarra of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC) stressed, “In Colorado, we look out for our neighbors. People with the courage and tenacity to move here for a better life are valued members of our communities. They are our friends, family, loved ones, caregivers, and coworkers. For years, Denver has led the way in ensuring all people—no matter where they were born—can live with dignity and safety. The federal government has no right to force our city to invest in ripping Denver families apart. We will not do ICE’s dirty work or turn our city into a pipeline for family separation.”
Lawrence Benito of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights hailed Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance as a model for community safety, rejecting what they call a “cynical attempt from MAGA-aligned members of Congress to scapegoat people seeking safety and opportunity.” “Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance is a time-tested, sound piece of municipal legislation that is a crucial tool for keeping everyone in our communities safe. Community leaders in Chicago are proud to join with immigrant advocates from across the country in standing up for sanctuary policies, and rejecting this cynical attempt from MAGA-aligned members of Congress to further divide our cities and scapegoat people seeking safety and opportunity,” said Lawrence Benito.
The Trump administration’s aggressive tactics—including propaganda likened by FIRM to “the Nazi playbook”—have galvanized opposition. Advocates argue that sanctuary policies not only protect immigrants but strengthen entire communities by building trust in public institutions. As the four mayors prepare to testify, the clash between federal enforcement priorities and local autonomy promises to dominate the national conversation on immigration.
Susan Shrestha
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