Photo: Madison Rogers/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — More than 100 people rallied outside Boston City Hall Plaza in support of Boston's immigrant communities Wednesday.
The gathering was held as Mayor Michelle Wu testified on Boston's sanctuary city policies before a House Oversight Committee in Washington D.C. In her opening statement, Wu called Boston "the safest major city in the country," a talking point reiterated during the rally.
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"We are showing them that this is what it looks like to be a city where everyone, and I mean all, all means all of us, feel safe and protected," Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia told the crowd at Wednesday's rally.
"Our city is safer when we partner with our immigrant communities," said Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune.
As the Trump administration continues its immigration crackdown, Boston's sanctuary city status has put the city in the national spotlight. Trump border czar Tom Homan criticized Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox for his refusal to cooperate with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement on enforcing civil immigration detainers, and said he was coming to Boston and bringing Hell with him.
"They are attacking the very fabric of our community," said ACLU of Massachusetts Field Director Laura Rotolo. "And so we are here to tell ICE, when you come for one of us, you come for all of us."
1 of 2 Photo: Madison Rogers/WBZ NewsRadio
2 of 2 Photo: Madison Rogers/WBZ NewsRadio
Josh Kraft, Mayor Wu's opponent in the Boston mayoral race, expressed his support for the incumbent.
"What’s happening in D.C. is a Republican circus," Kraft told WBZ NewsRadio.
Not everyone outside City Hall Plaza was on Mayor Wu's side. A few dozen counterprotestors called for an end to Boston's sanctuary city status, arguing that cooperating with ICE and enforcing immigration law would make Boston safer.
"You want maximum safety, and you want to allow federal agencies to enforce federal law," said Henry Barbaro, Executive Director for the Massachusetts Coalition for Immigration Reform. "There's no excuse."
WBZ's Madison Rogers (@MadisonWBZ) reports.