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By Jesus Mesa
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Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, a Democrat, has pledged to resist President-elect Donald Trump's proposed immigration policies, including mass deportations and the defunding of sanctuary cities.
Johnston emphasized Denver's commitment to protecting undocumented residents and maintaining its sanctuary city status, where immigrants can access city services without fear of deportation.
"We're not going to sell out those values to anyone," Johnston told Denverite. "We're not going to be bullied into changing them."
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Johnston's remarks came in response to Trump's promise to enforce stricter immigration laws, including targeting sanctuary cities for funding cuts. Trump's incoming border czar, Tom Homan, underscored the administration's stance, stating, "Every illegal alien in this country committed a crime to get here. So they're all criminals."
Homan vowed that federal agents would carry out their duties regardless of local resistance.
Denver, however, plans to push back. Johnston said city police would not assist in federal immigration enforcement and added that the state's leadership is unlikely to allow federal forces to mobilize in Colorado.
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"Unless they were planning on bringing National Guards mobilized from Texas or Alabama to come invade Colorado, I don't know where they would find the forces to begin to do that," Johnston said.
Johnston expressed confidence that Denver residents would support these efforts, comparing potential public resistance to federal actions to the iconic 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in China.
"More than us having [Denver Police] stationed at the county line to keep them out, you would have 50,000 Denverites there," he said. "It's like the Tiananmen Square moment with the rose and the gun, right? You'd have every one of those Highland moms who came out for the migrants. And you do not want to mess with them."
Denver overwhelmingly supported Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris, who secured 78.71 percent of the city's votes, while Republican candidate Donald Trump received 19.18 percent. Notably, Trump did not achieve more than 50 percent of the vote in any Denver precinct.
Johnston's bold stance reflects a broader trend among Democratic leaders preparing for challenges under Trump's administration. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has also recently pledged to uphold his state's sanctuary policies, declaring, "If you come for my people, you come through me."
Similarly, Los Angeles, California reaffirmed its sanctuary city status on Tuesday by passing an ordinance limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. "This moment demands urgency. Immigrant protections make our communities stronger and our city better," said Mayor Karen Bass.
Donald Trump has vowed to initiate deportation efforts on his first day back in office, frequently targeting illegal immigration throughout his campaign. He has linked the record spike in unauthorized border crossings to issues such as drug trafficking and rising housing costs.
There are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S., raising questions about how individuals would be identified and detained under his proposed policies.
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