Denver Mayor Mike Johnston testifies on Capitol Hill about "sanctuary city" policies

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston testified on Capitol Hill about the so-called "sanctuary city" policies on Wednesday morning. He was invited by the Republican-led U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, along with mayors from Boston, Chicago, and New York City,  to speak about their cities' immigration policies. 

Johnston received five minutes to make an initial statement and made the case that Denver was a victim of a situation that the city didn't create and was trying its best. 

"All told, 42,000 people arrived in Denver over 18 months, the largest per capita influx of any city in America," said Johnston. "The question Denver faced was what will you do with a mom and two kids dropped on the streets of our city with no warm clothes, no food and no place to stay?"

"When those buses kept on coming, Denver made a choice as a city not to hate each other, but to help each other, not to turn on each other, but to turn to each other, and see if together we could solve a problem that felt bigger than any one of us. And that's what we did. It wasn't perfect and it required sacrifice from all of us but in the end, Denver came out stronger and closer than we were before. Because Americans expect us to do more than point fingers. They expect us to solve problems," said Johnston.      

The committee launched an investigation in January into the four cities' policies limiting compliance with federal immigration enforcement officials.

Johnston ended his statement by stressing the situation is a federal matter that must be addressed by those very representatives who were questioning Denver's policies. 

"If Denver can put away its ideological differences long enough to manage a crisis we didn't choose or create, it seems only fair to ask that the body that is actually charged with solving this national problem, this Congress, can finally commit to do the same," said Johnston.  

Johnston and the other mayors speaking before the committee on Wednesday are all Democrats. They are expected to be grilled by Republicans on the committee over the policies that they say have endangered public safety. 

Johnston faced questions by Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, who is on the committee. Boebert represents Colorado's 4th Congressional District starting this year after representing Colorado's 3rd Congressional District for her two previous terms. 

Boebert brought up the alleged relocation of migrants in Denver to Aurora during the questioning phase of the hearing. 

"I've heard that Denver crime went down while Aurora's crime went up because you were also shipping them to Aurora and we have documentation that I don't have time to discuss here in this hearing that proves you were shipping illegal aliens to Aurora, their crime was increasing while you were hiding under laws that you will not demand be repealed… and then crime was going up from Tren de Aragua gangs vandalizing apartment owners," said Boebert.

Johnston was not given an opportunity to respond to that statement.