Boston Mayor Michelle Wu pushed back hard against the Trump administration’s threats over sanctuary city policies, vowing that the city “will not back down.”
Speaking outside City Hall, Wu accused the White House of using immigration enforcement to “hide your administration’s failures,” insisting Boston complies with the law while standing by its values.
The confrontation follows letters from the Department of Justice to 13 states and 22 local governments, warning they could lose federal funding or face prosecution for obstructing federal immigration enforcement.
“Stop attacking our cities to hide your administration’s failures,” said Mayor Michelle Wu, in response to a letter from US Attorney General Pam Bondi about Boston's policies on immigration.
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) August 19, 2025
Read more about the response. https://t.co/PErCmhBrRX pic.twitter.com/cdiBBHmxlO
Attorney General Pam Bondi gave jurisdictions until August 19 to confirm compliance and outline steps to dismantle local policies that hinder federal deportation efforts.
The Trump administration has intensified its push for mass deportations, making sanctuary jurisdictions a central target. Wu’s remarks signal that Boston will resist federal pressure, even as the Justice Department escalates its warnings.
Michelle Wu responded to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi's demand that cities like Boston stop interfering with "federal immigration enforcement." https://t.co/zPscfpOCAf
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) August 20, 2025
