Mayor Mike Johnston of Denver has condemned President Donald Trump’s decision to permit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to arrest undocumented immigrants at sensitive locations such as schools, churches, and hospitals. Johnston appeared on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” to explain his position.
“We know and are prepared for the fact that there may be ICE operations here, and if they’re targeting violent criminals, we’ll support that, and we’ll collaborate,” Johnston told Tapper. “I think what we’re worried about is we don’t want people targeting schools or churches or hospitals. We think it fundamentally infringes on the safety of a city if you can’t go to a hospital and feel secure there or take your kids to school. So we really want to make sure they’re not targeting protected populations or protected places.”
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Vice President JD Vance appeared on “CBS Sunday Morning” and defended his administration’s decision to allow ICE agents to make arrests at sensitive locations.
“I support us doing law enforcement against violent criminals, whether they’re illegal immigrants or anybody else, in a way that keeps us safe,” Vance said. “Let me ask this question, Margaret. Separate the immigration issue. If you had a violent murderer in a school, of course, I want law enforcement to go and get that person out.”
“Of course. Of course,” said host Margaret Brennan.
“So what’s the point of the question?” Vance asked.
“You changed the regulation this week,” Brennan said. “That’s the point of the question. Giving the authority to go into churches and schools.”
“Exactly, we empowered law enforcement to enforce the law everywhere to protect Americans,” Vance responded.
“But that also has an effect, a chilling effect arguably, to people not sending their kids to school,” Brennan argued.
“I desperately hope it has a chilling effect on illegal immigrants coming into our country,” Vance replied.
President Trump promised during his second term in office to deport millions of immigrants residing in the country illegally.
“Border czar” Tom Homan appeared on “ABC News Sunday Morning” and stated that ICE’s enforcement efforts have begun with individuals considered public safety threats or national security risks. However, Homan added that the administration also plans to arrest and deport anyone in the country illegally.
“If you’re in the country illegally, you’re on the table,” Homan said during the interview. “Because it’s not okay to violate the laws of this country.”
According to statistics posted by ICE on X, the agency has made 4,521 arrests and 3,519 detainers during the first eight days of Trump’s presidency.
It is unclear how many of those arrested are violent criminal migrant offenders.
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During her first White House briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the administration considers all undocumented immigrants in the country illegally to be criminals.
The U.S. House Oversight Committee asked Denver’s mayor to testify on Capitol Hill next month about his city’s sanctuary policies. They are designed to prevent local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities.
Johnston did not give a definitive answer on whether he would attend the hearing but expressed openness to discussing immigration reform.
Tags: abc news, CBS News, CNN, Denver, Donald Trump, House Oversight Committee, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, JD Vance, Sanctuary City, Tom Homan
DENVER MAYOR MIKE JOHNSTON DENOUNCES PRESIDENT TRUMP’S DECISION TO ALLOW FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES TO ARREST UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS AT SENSITIVE LOCATIONS SUCH AS SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, AND HOSPITALS.
MAYOR JOHNSTON APPEARED ON CNN’S THE LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER TO EXPLAIN HIS STANCE.
“WE KNOW AND ARE PREPARED FOR THE FACT THAT THERE MAY BE ICE OPERATIONS HERE AND IF THEY’RE TARGETING VIOLENT CRIMINALS, WE’LL SUPPORT THAT AND WE’LL COLLABORATE,” MAYOR JOHNSTON TOLD TAPPER. “I THINK WHAT WE’RE WORRIED ABOUT IS WE DON’T WANT PEOPLE TARGETING SCHOOLS OR CHURCHES OR HOSPITALS. WE THINK IT FUNDAMENTALLY INFRINGES ON THE SAFETY OF A CITY IF YOU CAN’T GO TO A HOSPITAL AND FEEL SECURE THERE OR TAKE YOUR KIDS TO SCHOOL. SO WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY’RE NOT TARGETING PROTECTED POPULATIONS OR PROTECTED PLACES.”
VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE APPEARED ON CBS SUNDAY MORNING AND DEFENDED HIS ADMINISTRATION’S DECISION TO ALLOW ICE AGENTS TO ARRESTS UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS IN SENSITIVE LOCATIONS.
“I SUPPORT US DOING LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAINST VIOLENT CRIMINALS WHETHER THEY’RE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS OR ANYBODY ELSE IN A WAY THAT KEEPS US SAFE,” VANCE SAID. “LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION, MARGARET. SEPARATE THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE. IF YOU HAD A VIOLENT MURDERER IN A SCHOOL OF COURSE I WANT LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GO AND GET THAT PERSON OUT.”
“OF COURSE! OF COURSE” BRENNAN AGREED.
“SO WHAT’S THE POINT OF THE QUESTION?” VANCE ASKED.
“YOU CHANGED THE REGULATION THIS WEEK,” BRENNAN SAID. “THAT’S THE POINT OF THE QUESTION. GIVING THE AUTHORITY TO GO INTO CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS.”
“EXACTLY, WE EMPOWERED LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ENFORCE THE LAW EVERYWHERE TO PROTECT AMERICANS,” VANCE SAID.
“BUT THAT ALSO HAS AN EFFECT, A CHILLING EFFECT ARGUABLY TO PEOPLE TO NOT SEND THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL,” BRENNAN ARGUED.
“I DESPERATELY HOPE IT HAS A CHILLING EFFECT ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS COMING INTO OUR COUNTRY,” VANCE RESPONDED.
PRESIDENT TRUMP PROMISED TO DEPORT MILLIONS OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS DURING HIS SECOND TERM IN OFFICE.
BORDER CZAR, TOM HOMAN, APPEARED ON ABC NEWS SUNDAY MORNING SAYING ICE’S ENFORCEMENT HAS BEGUN WITH PUBLIC SAFETY THREATS AND NATIONAL SECURITY THREATS, BUT THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION WILL ALSO AIM TO ARREST AND DEPORT ANYONE IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY.
“IF YOU’RE IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY, YOU’RE ON THE TABLE,” HOMAN SAID ON ABC NEWS. “BECAUSE IT’S NOT OKAY TO VIOLATE THE LAWS OF THIS COUNTRY.”
SO FAR INTO TRUMP’S PRESIDENCY, ICE HAS MADE 4,521 ARRESTS AND 3,519 DETAINERS, ACCORDING TO STATS THE AGENCY HAS POSTED ON X.
IT’S UNCLEAR HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS ARRESTED ARE VIOLENT CRIMINAL MIGRANT OFFENDERS.
DURING HER FIRST WHITE HOUSE BRIEFING, PRESS SECRETARY CAROLINE LEAVITT SAID THIS ADMINISTRATION CONSIDERS ALL UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY ARE CRIMINALS.
DENVER’S MAYOR HAS ALSO BEEN ASKED BY THE US HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO TESTIFY ON CAPITOL HILL NEXT MONTH — ABOUT DENVER’S SO-CALLED “SANCTUARY POLICIES” WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO PROHIBIT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM COOPERATING WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES.
JOHNSTON DID NOT GIVE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER ON IF HE WILL ATTEND THE HEARING BUT DID SAY HE’S OPEN TO HAVING A CONVERSATION ON IMMIGRATION REFORM.
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