Tuesday Boston’s Mayor Wu held a press conference in response to a letter sent by the federal government to so-called “sanctuary cities”, demanding that they change their policies to comply with those of the Trump administration, specifically to cooperate with federal enforcement of Trump’s mass deportation agenda. Once again, Mayor Wu’s response was direct, dignified, and in defense of the wellbeing of the community she serves. MIRA stands proudly in support of Mayor Wu and extends our gratitude to her and all the elected officials, community leaders, and residents who showed up in solidarity at Boston City Hall Plaza.
“Last week, Boston received a letter from the Attorney General of the United States—on official letterhead from the federal government—threatening to prosecute city officials and withhold federal funds unless we cooperate with carrying out mass deportations. At a time when this federal administration is already causing so much fear and harm in our communities, these threats are serious and consequential. But our same communities have told me, loud and clear, that silence in the face of oppression is not an option. The US Attorney General asked for a response by today, so here it is: Stop attacking our cities to hide your administration’s failures. Unlike the Trump administration, Boston follows the law. And Boston will not back down from who we are and what we stand for. We will not back away from the community that has made us the safest major city in the country, and a leading example of why cities make this country safer, healthier, and more prosperous for all Americans.” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu
“[Trump’s] authoritarian tactics are meant to squash dissent, to dehumanize our immigrant communities, and to spread fear and cruelty. What Trump hates is the very DNA of Boston. From Roxbury to Dorchester, from East Boston to Mattapan, our neighborhoods have their own rhythms, and they add to the city’s song. That’s why he fears it, because you cannot silence this heartbeat, you cannot erase this rhythm, without trying to rip out the very soul of Boston, and America itself. . . . We will continue, I will continue, to stand solidly with Mayor Wu, solidly with the City of Boston, solidly with the immigrant community in the City of Boston, which makes Boston greater every single day.” Massachusetts State Senator Ed Markey
“We are a city for everyone. For the 5th generation Bostonian, for the person who recently came here – this is your city and you belong. We will say that every day, we will say that in every single language, and we will mean it. . . . Our immigrant communities are here, are working, and are contributing to our community, to our city every day, to our tax base, to our hospitals, to our schools, and they are making our city safer every single day. We will not believe the lie and the hype about crime. We know, as the mayor has stated, that [Trump] is using the fear of crime to hide the fact that he cannot deliver for the American people, that he is failing every single day.” City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune
You can watch the press conference here