Comer: Sanctuary City Policies Only Create Sanctuaries for Criminals

WASHINGTON – Today, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) delivered opening remarks at “A Hearing with Sanctuary City Mayors.” In his opening statement, Chairman Comer highlighted how the Biden Administration’s open border agenda created the worst border crisis in American history and President Donald Trump’s Administration has worked swiftly to secure the border and enforce the immigration laws of the United States. While President Trump continues to deliver on his promises, Chairman Comer emphasized that Democrat mayors across the country continue to obstruct federal immigration enforcement and shield dangerous criminal aliens, which jeopardizes the safety of all Americans. He stressed that the mayors of Chicago, Denver, New York City, and Boston are publicly testifying before the House Oversight Committee today because their cities’ reckless sanctuary policies have created a public safety nightmare. He concluded that Congress must take action and not allow a single penny of taxpayer funds to go to cities and states that prioritize criminal aliens over the American people.

Below are Chairman Comer’s remarks as prepared for delivery.

Good morning. Welcome to today’s full committee hearing on sanctuary cities with the mayors of four major American cities: Chicago, Denver, Boston, and New York.

Over the past four years, the Biden Administration created the worst border crisis in American history.

The Democrats said that President Biden did not have the power—or the money—to stop the flow of illegal aliens at the southwest border.

Turns out, the only thing President Biden did not have was the will power.

In a few short weeks, President Trump has proved what we all know to be true: the Biden Administration could have stopped the crisis at any moment. If only they had the courage to enforce the law.

Since President Trump assumed office, illegal entries at the southwest border have plummeted. A 94% drop in a month.

Under President Trump, the world knows that there are consequences for unlawful entry into the United States.

The border crisis was not the result of climate change, a lack of resources, or a failure to grant amnesty.

It was the result of the last administration’s deliberate choice.

President Biden enacted policies starting on the day he assumed office to allow millions of unvetted illegal aliens to pour into the United States.

Many of these illegal aliens have long rap sheets that include violent crimes.

President Trump has an electoral mandate from the American people to deliver on his promises to secure the border and enforce the immigration laws of the United States. And he is delivering on this promise big time.

The mayors here today each lead a so-called “Sanctuary City.” And let’s be clear: these policies only create sanctuaries for criminals.

Sanctuary policies violate federal immigration law by protecting criminal aliens at the expense of the American people.

Sanctuary cities and states refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts and harbor illegal aliens.

They often actively work to stand in the way of President Trump’s mission to protect the American people and restore integrity to the American immigration system and the rule of law.

Sanctuary cities forbid their officials, including those in law enforcement and public safety roles, from sharing information about illegal aliens in their cities with the federal government or turning over criminals in their custody to ICE.

As a result, sanctuary cities release criminal illegal aliens back onto the streets where they often go on to commit more crimes.

In Chicago, for example, an illegal alien who was recently arrested for killing a 63-year-old man had previously been arrested in Chicago for trying to lure a child. ICE lodged a detainer against the criminal alien but Chicago authorities released him back onto the street because of the city’s reckless sanctuary policy. And now an innocent man is dead because of Chicago’s refusal to follow the law.

These reckless sanctuary policies also force federal immigration officers to go into local communities to apprehend criminal illegal aliens.

If sanctuary cities were to simply communicate and work with federal immigration authorities, then federal agents could arrest criminal illegal aliens in a secure environment like State or local jails. Instead, they have to risk their own safety and public safety by having to go into uncertain, dangerous circumstances to make arrests.

Sanctuary cities make us all less safe and are a public safety nightmare.

That is why I launched an investigation into sanctuary cities, and why these mayors are here today.

We cannot let pro-criminal alien policies and obstructionist sanctuary cities continue to endanger American communities and the safety of federal immigration enforcement officers.

Today, Mayors Wu, Johnson, Johnston, and Adams will be held publicly accountable for their failure to follow the law and protect the American people.

President Trump and his administration are taking action against sanctuary cities. And Congress must follow by not allowing a single penny of federal funding to go to cities and states that prioritize criminal aliens over the American people. I now yield to Ranking Member Connolly for his opening statement