Congressional hearing for Denver mayor, 4 days after ICE says city released Tren de Aragua gang member, filled with tense exchanges

Republican representatives grilled Denver Mayor Mike Johnston during a six hour House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing about immigration policy on Wednesday in Washington, and the timing couldn't have been worse for the Democratic leader of Colorado's capital city.

Four days ago, immigration agents say the Denver Jail released Abraham Gonzalez, a suspected Venezuelan gang member charged with violent felonies. The jail was supposed to give federal agents 48 hours notice, but Rep. Jeff Crank, a Republican who represents Colorado's 5th Congressional District, says they got one hour, and he says an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent was injured during the capture of the 23-year-old.

The congressional committee wanted answers from Johnston and mayors of Boston, Chicago and New York, saying the cities' policies of not handing over undocumented immigrants picked up for crimes are putting the public and police at risk.

The people who did most the talking during those six hours were committee members, not the mayors.

While the hearing was billed as an inquisition, it was more of a prosecution. Republicans accused the mayors of everything from failed leadership to treason.

Johnston often didn't get to finish his statements in his testimony, and in some cases it was Colorado representatives doing the questioning.

"Mayor Johnston, is Denver a sanctuary city?" Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the committee's chairman, asked.

"A lot of folks use that term ... differently. I can tell you what Denver does. We do not..." Johnston replied.

"Okay, I'll take that as a yes," Comer interruped.

From the outset, Johnston was on the defense as the members peppered him with questions and in many cases didn't even wait for his reply. That included the following exchange with Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Republican who represents Colorado's 4th Congressional District.

"Thank you congresswoman. Let me..." Johnston said.

"Yes or no," Boebert interruped.

 "Pardon," Johnston said.

"Yes or no. Will you join me?"

"I do not believe the detainer law needs to be changed," Johnston said. "I can tell you what Denver does right now."

"Okay, so you don't want them to coordinate with ICE," Boebert interruped.

Crank was critical of how Johnson's city dealt with the Gonzalez case.

"Have you apologized to the federal law enforcement agent who was assaulted by a Tren de Aragua gang member because of your failed leadership? Yes or no?" Crank asked Johnston.

"I reached out to the ICE officers yesterday and I've asked to sit down with them to talk about this procedure and how we can align system to make sure no other officers get injured," he said.

Johnston says the city of Denver has made more than 1,200 similar releases with no problems.

The mayor defended his leadership in his opening remarks, saying as the city's leader he has a duty to protect the health and safety of all people in the city, and that as a many of faith he says he has a moral obligation to care for those in need.

"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?" he said.

He told the committee Denver follows all state and federal laws and despite the massive influx of migrants over the last two years, crime is down.

Rep. Gabe Evans, a Republican who represents Colorado's 8th Congressional District, says the city still ranks as the tenth most dangerous and because it doesn't ask inmates their immigration status -- which Evans says is required on FBI fingerprint cards -- there's no way of knowing if migrants are driving crime.

"So not filling out the FBI fingerprint card, which would directly contradict your statement that you want people who are illegally present in the country and committing crimes to be held to account for those crimes."

Boebert says Denver's policies are also impacting the neighboring city of Aurora.

"You were shipping illegal aliens to Aurora. Their crime was increasing while you were hiding under laws that you will not demand be repealed," she said.

Johnston says state and local laws aren't the problem, Congress is.

"If Denver can find a way to put aside our 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," he said.

Johnston said after the hearing that his goal was to explain why Denver isn't a sanctuary city and shouldn't lose federal funding. The city paid a DC law firm up to $2 million to ensure his success, but he says committee members seemed to have their minds made up.

In addition to withholding funding, some Republicans are asking the justice department to investigate the mayors for harboring criminals. Johnston says he's not worried. Under the law, he would have had to shield the migrants from federal agents -- which he didn't -- and he says if Republicans try to withhold funding, the city will sue.