WASHINGTON, D.C. — Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert joined fellow Colorado Republicans Gabe Evans and Jeff Crank in grilling Denver Mayor Mike Johnston as part of a hearing Wednesday in Washington, D.C. that questioned four Democratic mayors about so-called “sanctuary cities.”
Johnston joined New York Mayor Eric Adams, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson in the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing on immigration.
A combative Boebert – positioned right in front of Johnston for her questioning – took him to task over Colorado law, the city’s alleged role in the rise of Tren de Aragua (TdA) in Aurora and the $2 million Denver’s city council agreed to spend on legal representation for Johnston during the congressional inquiry.
- Watch the exchange in the video player below:
Boebert asked Johnston if he would join a call for a repeal of Colorado law that limits local law enforcement agencies in their interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“I do not believe the detainer law needs to be changed,” Johnston said, later referencing more than 1,200 ICE detainers he says the city has honored.
- Denver7 Investigates: How Colorado law enforcement agencies respond to ICE detainers
He then rebutted Boebert's claim that the law hinders the city’s ability to coordinate with law enforcement, particularly before a warrant is obtained.
Boebert would later accuse Johnston of sending immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally to neighboring Aurora, echoing claims made months ago by Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman.
“I've heard that Denver crime went down. Well, Aurora went up because you were also shipping them to Aurora,” Boebert said. “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 Their crime was increasing while you were hiding under laws that you will not demand be repealed [...]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.”
Johnston wasn’t given a chance to respond as Boebert's allotted time expired.
Later during his testimony, things got tense as Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) questioned Johnston over the release of a suspected Tren de Aragua member who ICE says was released from jail due to sanctuary policies and who would later assault police officers.
Tense moments here as Rep. Jim Jordan questions Mayor Johnston about the release of an ICE suspect from jail. ICE says because of the city’s sanctuary policies its agents were forced to arrest the suspect - a suspected gang member — in the public, where they say he assaulted… pic.twitter.com/iYDdC4v8m3
— Brandon Richard (@BrandonLRichard) March 5, 2025
Multiple Republican lawmakers tussled with Johnston during the testimony over whether or not he considers Denver a “sanctuary city.”
Johnston said the city “does not use that definition.”
Denver7 Investigates
1-on-1 with Denver mayor before 'sanctuary city' testimony: Denver7 Investigates
The back-and-forth with Boebert came shortly after Johnston delivered his opening statement. In those remarks, Johnston touted the city’s response as an effective one to an immigration crisis that was sent to its doorstep.
He invoked scripture and spoke of immigrant families in freezing Colorado conditions to paint a picture of Denver’s handling of the immigrant influx. He paid tribute to fallen Fountain Police Officer Julian Becerra – the son of immigrant parents – in explaining the good that immigrants bring to Colorado’s communities.
Colorado Congressman Gabe Evans, who is normally not part of the committee, also questioned Johnston. He claimed Denver's policies were making the city less safe.
"As a police officer, I am here to make sure we are uplifting the voices of the victims of these crimes taken advantage in communities that provide sanctuary to dangerous illegal criminal gangs like Tren de Aragua," Evans said.
Johnston disputed crime statistics Evans cited which showed crime had risen in Denver, calling them "bad facts."
Republicans, including Colorado Congressman Jeff Crank, repeatedly hammered Johnston about a recent incident in which ICE officers were assaulted as they tried arresting a suspect who had just been released from Denver's jail. ICE blamed the city's sanctuary policies for making that arrest more challenging.
"Denver Mayor Mike Johnston is putting law enforcement at risk," Crank said.
Crank pushed Johnston to change the policy for how ICE can pick up suspects from jail.
"For the safety of your officers, would you change that?" Crank yelled at Johnston.
Crank asked Johnston if he had apologized to the officer "for your failed leadership."
Johnston said since he took office, there have been about 1,200 times when ICE has arrested suspects after they left jail. He said this is the first time something like that has happened.
Johnston said he has offered to meet with ICE to see if there's a better procedure they could come up with.
- Watch his full opening statement in the video player below:
Johnston also spoke of 8,700 work authorization permits given to immigrants in Denver and said the city's immigrant support budget has dropped by nearly 90% as the city closed its shelters.
“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," Johnston said. "Because Americans expect us to do more than point fingers, they expect us to solve problems."
Most of the hearing focused on information that was already publicly available. However, the hearing provided Republicans an opportunity to go after Johnston and the other mayors.
Democrats on the committee also took their political swipes against President Donald Trump. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, asked the mayors if they knew of any immigrants roaming their cities who had been convicted of 34 felonies.
University of Denver political science professor Phil Chen said the hearing was always going to be a political show.
“The Congress doesn't have a ton of power over these mayors,” said Chen. “It's largely a political spectacle. That was what it was intended to be, and that's, I think, what it ended up being.”
Chen said the mayors could also benefit from the hearing.
"Being able to stand up and visibly push back against Republicans in Congress could actually win some political points in their cities,” said Chen.
Back in Denver, immigrant advocates expressed support for Johnston.
“I hope he doesn't allow them to push him around because I know that he's probably under a lot of pressure right now,” said Gladis Ibarra, the co-executive director of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition.
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