The polemical phrase at the heart of today's immigration hearing
We're gathering all the latest news, updates, and analysis.
TODAY'S STARTING POINT
Mayor Michelle Wu will testify on Capitol Hill this morning before a House committee about Boston's immigration policies. If you've followed coverage leading up to the hearing, you've probably noticed a recurring phrase: 'sanctuary city.'
While not a legal designation, the term describes US cities that take a more welcoming approach to undocumented immigrants. Republicans have affixed it to Boston and other communities, accusing them of
But the debate over 'sanctuary,' which went from a liberal rallying cry during President Trump's first term to a conservative pejorative during his second, is more than semantic. It's a sign of how the politics of immigration have changed, and of how high the stakes are for Wu and the lawmakers who plan to grill her.
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What it means
In an immigration context, the 'sanctuary' term dates to the 1980s, when US religious institutions protected asylum seekers fleeing Central American civil wars. Today, it generally describes localities that have not agreed to help the federal government enforce federal immigration laws.
Advocates argue that undocumented people need access to hospitals, schools, and the court system without fearing they will be deported, and that those who have not committed crimes deserve to stay. (Being undocumented in the US is generally a
But after Trump won in 2016,
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Sanctuary policies are legal. Under the Constitution, the federal government can't force states and local communities to enforce immigration laws, and
Republicans have blamed sanctuary policies for crime, but the evidence suggests the opposite may be true. Immigrants are
Vibe shift
Trump has criticized 'sanctuary cities' since his first run for president. But he and his allies now have a more receptive audience: a public that has
That more hospitable political climate has Republicans redoubling their efforts to target sanctuary policies. The Trump administration sued Chicago, whose mayor is also set to testify today, and is exploring withholding federal funding from places with sanctuary policies. Some states —
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Some places have long rejected the 'sanctuary city' label to avoid federal scrutiny. But even politicians who once embraced it appear to have backed off. Wu, then the City Council president,
Still, some immigration advocates regret how loosely others adopted the 'sanctuary city' label during Trump's first administration. The term has 'never made me particularly comfortable,' said Sarang Sekhavat, chief of staff for the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. Sekhavat called it a 'misnomer,' arguing that the term misleads immigrants into believing that cities will shield them while also letting Republicans argue that liberals favor protecting criminals. 'It's kind of our own fault for using that term to begin with,' he said.
Tensions may also be on display among the mayors testifying today. Eric Adams, a Democrat elected in 2021, has repeatedly described New York as a sanctuary city. But as migrants strained city services and Adams
The stakes
Some congressional hearings are designed to elicit information. Today's seems
Republicans have used similar forums effectively in the past. Hearings on campus antisemitism elicited damaging soundbites from college presidents that helped push three of them —
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Wu, of course, is also a politician. For her, today is a chance to stand up to Republicans in an election year. As she said yesterday, 'I will never back down from an opportunity to defend Boston.'
For more:
Watch the hearing, which starts at 10, and
To prepare for the hearing, Wu hired a law firm and held multiple practice sessions,
Trump's border czar said he'd bring 'hell' over Boston's sanctuary policies. On TikTok, residents pushed back
Republicans have criticized Wu for expressing condolences to the family of a knife-wielding attacker whom an off-duty police officer killed. (
🧩 1 Across:
| ☔ 56°
POINTS OF INTEREST
Dennis Heaphy, a patient from Boston, said Commonwealth Care Alliance has saved his life.
Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
Boston and Massachusetts
Tax time:
Boston homeowners can expect property tax bills next month
Gov on the road:
Governor Maura Healey is
Running feud:
Diana DiZoglio, the state auditor, accused the state's attorney general of
At risk:
One of the state's largest insurers for disabled, elderly, and low-income residents
More on Trump's speech
Making nice:
Trump read from a letter Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sent him pledging to work toward peace with Russia. Trump called the letter important and said he appreciated it. (
Opposition:
Democrats booed, walked out, and held signs that read 'Save Medicaid' and 'Musk Steals.' (
Insults and lies:
Trump frequently attacked Joe Biden, called Senator Elizabeth Warren 'Pocahontas,' and made false claims about Social Security,
MI turn:
Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan gave the Democratic rebuttal, accusing Trump of failing to lower prices. 'Change doesn't need to be chaotic,' she said. (
In the room:
Trump's guests included Americans whose loved ones were murdered by undocumented immigrants (
More on Trump's tariffs
Slight pinch:
In his speech, Trump acknowledged that his tariffs will cause 'a little disturbance' to the economy, but defended them as a response to countries he claims have 'ripped off' the US. (
Never mind?
Trump could reverse the tariffs he placed on Canada and Mexico this week if the three countries 'work something out,' his commerce secretary said. (
Countries react:
Canada's prime minister called Trump's move 'dumb' and imposed 25 percent tariffs on $30 billion in US goods. (
Businesses react:
Stocks fell further (
The Nation and the World
Measles update:
An outbreak in Texas reached 163 cases, with 22 people needing hospitalization. (
Strange bedfellows:
The Supreme Court narrowed the Clean Water Act in a 5-4 ruling that pitted the EPA against San Francisco. (
Panama ports:
BlackRock will buy two ports near the Panama Canal from a Hong Kong firm whose ownership had angered Trump. (
BESIDE THE POINT
🗓️
The road to Easter:
Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, a 40-day period of prayer and fasting observed by many Christians. (
🐠
Attention decoders:
If you can figure out what a fish under a roof and a stick figure without a head mean, you could crack the code of an ancient script in India. (
🏀
An appreciation:
Nobody married sports and Hollywood better than
📱
Brave new world:
This is Scott Kirsner's last column about the startup economy in Mass.
🚶♂️
Walk the walk:
Retracing Henry David Thoreau's
🎨
Kiln mien:
For this Boston ceramic artist from South Korea,
🥧
Pie all day:
With these recipes, it's on the menu
⚾
Gauntlet thrown:
Triston Casas aims to be the Red Sox' next true slugger. And if not? "
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