Congress hearing for the mayor of Denver, 4 days after ICE, said that the city has published the Tren de Aragua -Gang member filled with tense exchange

Republican representatives grilled the mayor of Denver, Mike Johnston, while A Six -hour house committee for surveillance and reform hearing of the government About immigration policy on Wednesday in Washington, and the timing could not have been worse for the Democratic Fi from the capital of Colorado.

Four days ago, immigration agents stated that Denver Abraham Gonzalez prison published a suspected member of Venezuelan gait that is charged with violent crimes. The prison was supposed to present federal agents for 48 hours, but Rep. Jeff Crank, a Republican who represents Colorados 5th congress district, says they have an hour and he says An immigration and customs authority was violated During the capture of the 23-year-old.

The Congress Committee wanted to answer Johnston and Mayor from Boston, Chicago and New York and said that the politics of cities not to hand over immigrants without papers endangered the public and the police.

The people who spoke the most in these six hours were committee members, not the mayors.

While the hearing was invoiced as an Inquisition, it was more of a law enforcement. The Republicans accused the mayors, from a failed leadership to betrayal.

Johnston often could not end his statements in his certificate, and in some cases it was representatives in Colorado who carried out the survey.

“Mayor Johnston, is Denver a sanctuary?” Rep. James Comer from Kentucky, the chairman of the committee, asked.

“Many people use this term … differently. I can tell you what Denver does. We don't …”, Johnston replied.

“Okay, I'm taking it as yes,” said comer.

Johnston was a member of the defense right from the start erect with questions And in many cases, his answer was not even waiting. This included the following exchange with Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Republican who represents Colorados 4. Congress district.

“Thank you Congressmen. Leave me …” said Johnston.

“Yes or no,” Boebert talked.

“Pardonation,” said Johnston.

“Yes or no. Will you join me?”

“I don't think the Liability Act has to be changed,” said Johnston. “I can tell you what Denver is doing.”

“Okay, you don't want you to coordinate with ice cream,” Boebert talked.

Crank criticized how Johnson's city dealt with the Gonzalez case.

“Have you apologized to the federal law enforcement authority, which was attacked by a member of the gang of Tren de Aragua because of your failed leadership? Yes or no?” Crank asked Johnston.

“Yesterday I turned to the ICE officers and asked myself to sit down with them to talk about this procedure and how we can align the system to ensure that no other officials are injured,” he said.

According to Johnston, the city of Denver has made more than 1,200 similar publications without problems.

The mayor defended his leadership in his opening speeches and said that he was duty to protect the health and security of all people in the city, and as a lot of belief, he says that he has a moral obligation to take care of those in need.

“The question with which Denver was confronted was, what will you do with a mother and two children who fall on the streets of our city without warm clothes, without food and without accommodation?” he said.

He informed the Denver Committee that Denver follows all state and federal laws, and despite the massive influx of migrants in the past two years, the crime has dropped.

Deputy Gabe Evans, a Republican who represents Colorados 8. Congress district says that the city is still the most dangerous and because it does not ask the occupants their immigration status – what Evans says that Evans is required for FBI fingerprint card – there is no way to know whether migrants start crime.

“So do not fill out the FBI fingerprint card, which directly contradicts your statement that you are people who are illegally present in the country and commit crimes to take these crimes into account.”

According to Boebert, the guidelines from Denver also influence the neighboring city of Aurora.

“You sent illegal foreigners to Aurora. Your crime increased while hiding for laws that you will not be lifted,” she said.

Johnston says that the state and local laws are not the problem, the congress is.

“If Denver can find a way to put our ideological differences aside long enough to manage a crisis that we have not chosen or created, it only seems fair that the body that is actually solved with the solution of this national problem can finally commit this congress,” he said.

Johnston said after the hearing that his goal was to explain why Denver does not Sanctuary City And should not lose federal financing. The city paid a DC law firm with up to 2 million US dollars to ensure its success, but he says that the members of the committee have decided their ghost.

In addition to holding the funds back, some Republicans ask the Ministry of Justice to examine the mayors to accommodate criminals. Johnston says he is not worried. According to the law, he would have protected the migrants of federal agents – what he did not – and he says that if the Republicans try to hold the financing back, the city will sue.