Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has publicly stated that he will resist President-elect Donald Trump's planned large-scale deportation policy for illegal immigrants.
Mike Johnston stressed that if the federal government's actions are illegal or immoral, he will not only encourage citizens to protest, but also said that he is willing to go to jail for it. In an interview with the media, Johnston mentioned that he believes that Denver residents will resist the federal government's tough immigration policies through peaceful protests and civil disobedience.
He said: "If anyone tries to infringe on the rights of our citizens, I will definitely stand up and protest. Denver people will not stand idly by." Earlier, he mentioned that if federal law enforcement agencies tried to enforce the deportation policy in Denver, there might be "50,000 Denver citizens" who would stand up to stop it. He described this scenario as "Denver's version of the darkest hour" and called on citizens to unite and protect vulnerable immigrant groups.
Johnston's remarks about "stopping federal law enforcement at county lines" sparked controversy. In a subsequent interview, he clarified that this was not to encourage conflict, but to resolve the issue through negotiation. He said: "No one wants to see this happen. I just want to make it clear that this is the result we want to avoid." As a sanctuary city, Denver has been committed to protecting illegal immigrants from federal law enforcement for many years.
Johnston reiterated that this policy will not change, even in the face of tremendous pressure from the federal government. He said: "Denver's core values are tolerance and openness, and we will not sell these values to anyone."
While Johnston supports protecting most illegal immigrants, he made it clear that he supports the full force of the law and deportation of violent criminals. "If you commit a serious crime like murder or rape in Denver, we will make sure you are prosecuted and deported," he said.
We have worked with the federal government on these types of cases in the past and will continue to do so in the future. "In recent years, Denver has faced resource and security pressures due to the influx of a large number of illegal immigrants. According to statistics, since the end of 2022, about 40,000 illegal immigrants have arrived in Denver, making it the city with the largest number of illegal immigrants per capita in the United States. At the same time, immigration-related crime problems are also increasing, including cases related to the Venezuelan prison gang "Aragua Train".
Denver's immigration policy and sanctuary city status have sparked controversy inside and outside the city. Aurora Republican Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky criticized Johnston's policy as "inefficient and incompetent," arguing that the sanctuary city policy would further exacerbate the crime problem. Johnston said his plan is aimed at maintaining the city's safety and inclusion, and called on citizens to work together with the government to ensure that Denver continues to be a community full of kindness and hope.#BabyMarvinf9c7您拥有您值得 
