Denver Mayor Mike Johnston declared Tuesday that the city would resist President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed deportation agenda, promising that Denver’s police and citizens would stand against federal immigration enforcement. In an interview with The Denverite, Johnston compared potential Trump administration deportation actions to the Chinese Communist Party’s crackdown, emphasizing Denver’s commitment to defiance.
Johnston made it clear that Denver’s law enforcement would not cooperate with federal efforts to deport illegal immigrants. “We won’t do it,” he stated when asked if the Denver Police Department (DPD) would assist with Trump’s deportation measures. He proposed that local authorities could actively obstruct federal immigration officers, suggesting a dramatic local resistance if federal agents attempted to enforce immigration laws in the city.
“More than us having DPD stationed at the county line to keep them out, you would have 50,000 Denverites there,” Johnston said. He likened the potential scene to a “Tiananmen Square moment,” invoking the image of a massive public confrontation with federal officers. Johnston claimed that residents who previously supported migrants in Denver would turn out to oppose Trump’s immigration enforcement.
Federal law explicitly prohibits obstructing federal officers in their duties. Under 18 U.S. Code § 111, those who forcibly resist or intimidate a federal agent can face up to three years in prison, or more severe penalties if weapons or violence are involved.
Johnston also predicted that Colorado Governor Jared Polis would not cooperate with federal enforcement, suggesting that Trump might have to mobilize National Guard units from other states. “Unless they were planning on bringing national guards mobilized from Texas or Alabama to come invade Colorado, I don’t know where they would find the forces,” Johnston said.
Denver’s stance aligns with a broader trend among Democrat leaders across the country. Governors from Massachusetts, California, and Illinois have also promised to resist Trump’s immigration policies, emphasizing state and local opposition.
Tom Homan, Trump’s pick for “border czar,” responded to similar resistance earlier this week. Addressing Democrat Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s pledge to protect illegal immigrants, Homan criticized the defiance as short-sighted. He emphasized that Trump’s immigration plans would focus on removing public safety threats, questioning why any local leader would oppose efforts to increase community safety. “Either she helps us or she gets out of the way, because we’re going to do it,” Homan stated.
As Trump’s inauguration approaches, immigration policy is likely to remain a flashpoint between federal, state, and local governments, with Denver and other Democrat-led regions vowing resistance to increased enforcement efforts.
