Washington, DC—In response to yesterday’s House Oversight Committee hearing on immigration enforcement, which included the testimony of the mayors of Boston, Chicago, Denver and New York, U.S. Conference of Mayors President Columbus (OH) Mayor Andrew Ginther issued the following statement:
“During yesterday’s hearing, American mayors reiterated their continued and successful commitment to keeping their cities safe and warned of the consequences if public safety personnel and resources are diverted to immigration enforcement, which is squarely a federal responsibility. Mayors across the country have prioritized reducing crime, and the results have been significant. Crime rates are plummeting, and cities are safer now than they’ve been in a long time. We should not risk that progress with a federal intervention into local law enforcement. Cities know what works best for public safety in their communities and should be able to maintain that autonomy. I am grateful to the mayors who represented American cities yesterday, and for their continued commitment to public safety.”