Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is set to testify before Congress on Wednesday regarding her city’s sanctuary policies, a move that comes as frustration over illegal immigration reaches a boiling point in Boston and beyond.
Since President Donald Trump’s return to office, Wu has doubled down on Boston’s sanctuary city status, vowing that local law enforcement will not assist federal authorities with deportations. But critics argue that her policies have fueled crime, overwhelmed public services, and burdened taxpayers with the skyrocketing costs of migrant housing.
“Boston continues to experience crime, drug activity, and human trafficking stemming from [migrant] facilities,” said Jon Fetherston, a former Massachusetts migrant shelter director. “While Mayor Wu enjoys strong backing from her base, largely influenced by Sen. Elizabeth Warren … residents and surrounding communities are frustrated and embarrassed by her leadership.”
The frustration extends beyond Boston’s borders. The Massachusetts Republican Party (MassGOP) has raised alarm over the effects of illegal immigration in the state, particularly the crime linked to migrant shelters. Party chair Amy Carnevale expects Wu to argue that Boston is “safer than New York City, Denver, and Chicago”, but she isn’t buying it.
“That’s all relative. One murder, one rape, one violent crime is one too many,” Carnevale said. “We do have many violent crimes committed in Boston by … illegal aliens. And the fact that she has declared Boston to be a sanctuary city is really an invitation to further criminal aliens coming into the city, jeopardizing the safety of residents.”
Here’s my statement on “border czar” Tom Homan’s inflammatory comments about Boston #joshforboston #bostonmayoral #community #imlistening #mapoli #bospoli #wutrain pic.twitter.com/AQRSqWG5su
— Josh Kraft (@JoshKraftBoston) February 26, 2025
The Boston Trust Act, which has been in place since 2014 and expanded in 2019, limits police cooperation with ICE, except in cases involving human trafficking, child exploitation, drug and weapons trafficking, and cybercrimes. But critics argue that the city’s hands-off approach has allowed dangerous criminals to slip through the cracks.
Among the most disturbing cases is that of Ronald Joseph, a Haitian migrant accused of repeatedly raping and impregnating his 13-year-old daughter while living in a taxpayer-funded migrant shelter at a Holiday Inn in Marlborough. Authorities only arrested Joseph eight months after a report on the case surfaced.
Beyond crime, the financial toll of Massachusetts’ sanctuary policies is staggering. MassGOP found that the state spent over $1 billion on migrant housing in secrecy, while withholding critical information on 600 incidents involving police, fire, and EMT services.
Wu’s decision to spend $650,000 on preparations for her congressional testimony alone has further fueled outrage.
Boston residents, once largely supportive of sanctuary policies, are starting to push back. The group Bostonians Against Mayor Wu has amassed over 32,000 followers on social media, with its anonymous organizer telling Fox News Digital: “Bostonians are fed up. The governors of Texas and Florida bussing illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities have opened a lot of eyes. Suddenly, it’s not just an abstract issue. It’s real, it’s expensive, and it’s affecting everyday life.”
The organizer also took direct aim at Wu’s handling of crime, saying:
“Day after day, you’ll see Boston ICE reporting arrests of illegal alien child predators who were let onto the streets because of Wu’s sanctuary policies. The city refuses to cooperate with ICE, which means dangerous criminals stay in our communities instead of being deported.”
Wu remains defiant, insisting that her policies comply with the law and that immigration enforcement should be left to the federal government.
“Boston follows the laws. We are going to keep doing what we do,” Wu told WBUR. “Immigration falls under the federal government and federal officials. It is not the purview of city officials to be involved in doing the job of the federal government.”
