Boston Mayor Michelle Wu: Mass deportation comments were 'never directed' to federal officials

BOSTON – Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said she never intended to pick a fight with federal officials in the incoming Trump administration while firmly reiterating the city’s intent to resist mass deportation plans.

“When you talk about 10 to 20 million people that is not just those with a criminal warrant; that is uprooting families from their workplace or their homes or schools, and it’s simply not something that Boston is willing to entertain or cooperate with,” Wu said in a WBUR segment aired Wednesday. “And we know that it will threaten public safety for everyone, because it will cause widespread fear and cause pulling back and undermining trust with our public safety officials.”

Wu was thrust into the national spotlight earlier this month when Republican officials latched on to her comments about Boston’s intent to not cooperate with potential mass deportations under the incoming Trump administration.

“My comments have never been directed towards the federal government or anyone except for our own community members,” Wu said.

The mayor has cited Boston’s sanctuary city status under the Trust Act. Passed in 2014 under Mayor Marty Walsh, the act prohibits city police and other departments from cooperating with ICE and federal agencies on civil immigration detainers. City officials may cooperate with ICE on warrants for criminal matters like human trafficking and cyber crimes.

Incoming border czar Tom Homan recently stated that Wu “helps us or gets the hell out of the way,” homing in on the focused sentiment of other Republican officials and pundits.

President-elect Donald Trump has confirmed his plans to deport over 11 million immigrants in the country illegally by declaring a national emergency and using military forces when he enters office.

In the Wednesday segment, Wu accused the administration of “speaking from both sides of the mouth” in saying they will focus on criminals in the country illegally and at the same time estimating they will deport massive numbers of people.

“Looking to deport at least, ’15 million people,’ or ‘upwards of 20 million people,’ that is a very different concept than just saying they’re targeting public safety threats for people with a criminal record who are also without immigration status,” said Wu.

Wu said Boston will continue to “vigorously pursue” violent crime using federal, state and local partnerships, but noted data show crime among immigrant populations is the “same or even less than what is across the general population.”

The mayor said again Boston’s public safety record is “incomparable” and “built on a foundation of trust.”

“The moment you start creating widespread fear that certain communities or certain families cannot or should not reach out to law enforcement or city services, you get people not calling 911 when they need help, or not reporting crimes when they have information,” Wu said. “And when people retreat into the shadows in our community, it makes everybody less safe.”

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