Tom Homan, President Trump's border czar, says he's "bringing hell" to sanctuary city Boston
Tom Homan, the "border czar" for President Donald Trump's administration, is setting his sights on the City of Boston's sanctuary city policies.
Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington, D.C. on Saturday, Homan issued a warning specifically to Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox.
"The police commissioner of Boston, you said you'd double down on not helping the law enforcement offices of ICE. I'm coming to Boston, I'm bringing hell with me," Homan said, prompting applause from the crowd. "You're not a police commissioner. Take that badge off your chest, put it in your desk drawer. Because you became a politician. You forgot what it's like to be a cop."
Tom Homan targets Boston and Massachusetts
Homan accused the state's police forces of neglecting their duty in targeting criminals who are in the country illegally. He said, without citing specifics, that he found multiple cases where criminals who he alleges were in the country illegally were in jail, but subsequently released.
"And guess what. The men and women of Immigrations and Custom Enforcement found those predators and they're locked back up. And we're going to deport them from the United States," Homan said.
Boston is a sanctuary city. Mayor Michelle Wu will join the mayors of New York, Chicago and Denver to testify before a congressional oversight committee hearing investigating sanctuary city policies early next month.
Following Homan's remarks, WBZ-TV reached out to the offices of the Boston Police Department, Mayor Wu and Gov. Maura Healey, but have not heard back as of Sunday morning.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on sanctuary city status
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, launched the probe in January.
"Boston is a sanctuary jurisdiction under the Boston Trust Act, which the Boston City Council recently voted unanimously to reaffirm. Further, Boston is also subject to Massachusetts's judicial precedent finding ICE detainers an unlawful exercise of state power. Mayor Michelle Wu 'reiterated Boston's status as a sanctuary city' shortly after the 2024 presidential election," Comer wrote in the letter to Wu at the time.
Initially, the mayors were asked to testify on February 11. Wu said earlier this month she would respond to the letter, but told reporters she preferred it to be at a later date after recently giving birth to her third child.
"I want to be accommodating and participate however best represents the city," Wu said. "We're very proud that Boston is the safest major city in the country. We have a lot to share about what has been working here, and we look forward to being able to get into the details of that."
Gov. Maura Healey on immigration
Massachusetts has eight sanctuary cities - Amherst, Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Concord, Newton, Northampton, and Somerville.
In a December interview with WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller, Healey defended the state's immigration policies.
"We are not a sanctuary state. If you come here, there is not housing here, and I think that's been effective in changing the trajectory of [migration to Massachusetts]," Healey said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
4 minutes ago
- CBS News
Watch Live: Blue state governors testify on "sanctuary" policies amid L.A. protests over immigration raids
Washington — Three Democratic governors are defending their states' policies toward migrants and dispute claims of failing to cooperate with federal authorities, according to prepared remarks that will be delivered Thursday before a House oversight panel. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are among the witnesses testifying before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on so-called "sanctuary policies." "Let me be clear: Sanctuary policies don't protect Americans. They protect criminal illegal aliens," Oversight Chair James Comer, a Kentucky Republican will say in his opening statement. The governors' appearances come as President Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom remain embroiled in a legal and political standoff over the deployment of the National Guard troops and Marines to quell immigration protests in Los Angeles. Demonstrations have spread to other U.S. cities, including New York and Chicago, following a series of deportation raids. The hearing "Minnesota is not a sanctuary state," Walz will tell lawmakers. "It is ridiculous to suggest that Minnesota — a state that is over 1,500 miles away from the Southern border and a thousand miles from lawmakers in Washington, D.C., who decide and implement border policy — is somehow responsible for a failure of immigration enforcement." The former vice presidential candidate has drawn intense scrutiny not only over immigration policy but also for his handling of social justice protests that broke out in Minneapolis following the death of George Floyd in 2020. Trump administration officials have cited Walz' actions to justify the president's decision to federalize troops in California. While Walz does not appear to directly address the controversy in his testimony, he says he is "disappointed" in the federal government's overall approach. "As governor of Minnesota, it is incumbent on me to use the state's resources to help Minnesota families—not turn those resources over to the administration so they can stage another photo-op in tactical gear or accidentally deport more children without observing due process," Walz is set to say. Ahead of the hearing, the GOP-led panel released a video compilation of various news clips accusing the governors of "shielding" undocumented immigrants and "causing chaos" in their states. A memo from Hochul's office suggested the hearing could be "derailed by wild accusations" and "twisted characterizations" but noted the governor's position is "clear" when it comes to supporting strong borders and comprehensive immigration reform. "New York state cooperates with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in criminal cases," Hochul says in her prepared testimony. "And our values as New Yorkers demand that we treat those who arrive here in search of a better life with dignity and reject policies that tear law-abiding families apart." Hochul also addresses the influx of more than 220,000 migrants to New York City since early 2022, many of whom were bussed from border states, calling it "an unprecedented humanitarian crisis." "We have responded to this crisis with both compassion and pragmatism," Hochul states."And as a result, we largely prevented what could have become an additional crisis — one of street homelessness and tent cities." Pritzker says Illinois also stepped up to the challenge, and blamed the lack of federal intervention and cooperation from border states for exacerbating the problem. "As governor, my responsibility is to ensure that all Illinoisans feel safe in their homes, their businesses, and their communities," Pritzker is prepared to say. "That is why my administration continued to make significant investments in public safety, even as our resources were strained because of the lack of federal support during the crisis — expanding our state police force and investing in efforts to reduce gun violence." Congressional focus on "sanctuary" polices Thursday's session follows a March hearing on sanctuary cities with four Democratic mayors: Eric Adams, of New York, Mike Johnston of Denver, Brandon Johnson of Chicago and Michelle Wu of Boston. Comer launched an investigation in January into "sanctuary jurisdictions," including states, counties or cities, to examine their impact on public safety and federal immigration enforcement. President Trump has vowed to crack down on localities that don't back his immigration agenda. Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security removed its list of sanctuary jurisdictions after several cities challenged the findings.
Miami Herald
5 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Why Flags Are at Half-Mast Across Florida Today
Flags are being flown at half-staff across Florida on Thursday to commemorate the ninth anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando. Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday instructed that flags should be flown at half-staff between sunrise and sunset the following day. He said: "Nine years ago, on June 12, 2016, a shooter claiming alliance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant committed a horrific act of terrorism at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Forty-nine people were killed and fifty-three were wounded. "As a mark of respect for the victims, their families, and the many affected by this tragedy, I hereby direct the flags of the United States and the State of Florida to be flown at half-staff at all local and state buildings, installations, and grounds throughout the State of Florida." Related Articles Ron DeSantis Says Floridians Have Right to Hit Protesters With CarsDemocrats' Chances of Flipping Florida in Governor's Race-PollsFlorida Unveils Inter-City Rail ChangesMAGA Supporters Counter Anti-ICE Protests: 'Go Back to Mexico' 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Miami Herald
5 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Watch: Man Saves US Flag From Angry Anti-ICE Mob Trying to Burn it
A video captured the moment a man snatched an American flag away from the flames of a dumpster fire set by a mob of far-left anti-ICE protesters in Seattle, Washington, leading to a confrontation with the group. "What are you here for, bro?" shouts a woman as some of the group tries to wrestle the U.S. flag back from the man's hands. "F**k this country! F**k this country!" "We're burning that s**t, bro?" she continues. "What the f**k are you here for, b***h?" Another man shouts: "We're Mexican, motherf****r, we're burning that flag." The man who saved the flag says "you ain't burning no flag". The video was shot by Katie Daviscourt, a journalist for The Post Millennial, who was covering the unrest in Seattle. This is a developing article. Updates to follow. Related Articles Planner Arrives at Wedding, Horror As She Realizes One Thing She 'Forgot'Woman Finds Puppy in Woods, Then Discovers What Happened to SiblingHysterics As Dog Acts Like a 'Drunk Girl at 2am' When Near a BarHysterics Over How Labrador Pranks Her Neighbor Every Day: 'Nose Height' 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
