Mayor Wu, City of Boston sued by DOJ over sanctuary city policies

BOSTON — The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Boston and its city leaders, claiming the city’s Boston Trust Act protects illegal immigrants from federal authorities.

The lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal actions the DOJ has taken against Boston and other cities and states it deems sanctuaries for illegal immigrants.

The lawsuit claims that Boston’s policies are illegal under federal law and that the city refuses to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, resulting in dangerous criminals being let out onto the streets.

“[Wu’s] resistance endangers public safety, resulting in a number of criminals being released into Boston who should have been held for immigration removal from the United States,” DOJ attorneys wrote in the complaint.

“The City of Boston and its mayor have been among the worst sanctuary offenders in America – they explicitly enforce policies designed to undermine law enforcement and protect illegal aliens from justice,“ Attorney General Pam Bondi. “If Boston won’t protect its citizens from illegal alien crime, this Department of Justice will.”

Mayor Wu issued the following statement Thursday evening, saying, “This unconstitutional attack on our city is not a surprise. Boston is a thriving community, the economic and cultural hub of New England, and the safest major city in the country—but this administration is intent on attacking our community to advance their own authoritarian agenda. This is our City, and we will vigorously defend our laws and the constitutional rights of cities, which have been repeatedly upheld in courts across the country. We will not yield.”

Mayor Wu testified before Congress in March that Boston’s policies contribute to making Boston one of the safest major cities in America.

This summer, the Department of Justice ordered Mayor Wu to submit a compliance plan in August. Wu’s office responded by stating that she will emphasize the partnerships and investments that contribute to Boston’s reputation as the safest major city in America.

There’s no strict definition for sanctuary policies or sanctuary cities, but the terms generally describe limited cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE enforces U.S. immigration laws nationwide but seeks state and local help, particularly for large-scale deportations, requesting that police and sheriffs alert them to people it wants to deport and hold them until federal officers take custody.

Boston 25 News has reached out to the Boston Police Department for a response.

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