House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) fiercely confronted Denver’s sanctuary policies, delivering a powerful five-minute rebuke to Mayor Mike Johnston. These policies, Jordan argued, jeopardize American lives and undermine federal law enforcement efforts.
During a House Oversight Committee hearing, mayors from pro-illegal immigrant cities, including Michelle Wu of Boston, Brandon Johnson of Chicago, and Eric Adams of New York, joined Johnston in testifying. Jordan did not hold back, sharply questioning Johnston about Abraham Gonzales, a Venezuelan gang member who was arrested by Border Patrol in September 2023 and subsequently released into the U.S. under the Biden administration’s lax border policies.
This criminal, within months, committed aggravated assault, motor vehicle theft, and felony menacing in Denver. On March 26, 2024, Jordan’s team sent a detainer to Denver, asking for a 48-hour notice before releasing Gonzales back into the community. Ignoring the federal detainer request, Denver provided only a one-hour notice to ICE, leading to an incident where an ICE officer was assaulted.
“You had him in custody for 345 days,” Jordan exclaimed. “I said, ‘Hey, can you give us 48 hours?’ You gave them one hour. One hour!”
Johnston’s attempt to justify Denver’s actions by claiming they “notified” ICE was dismantled by Jordan, who pointed out that the city had effectively abandoned Gonzales in a parking lot, necessitating a rushed and dangerous ICE apprehension involving six agents.
“If you’d held him inside, it’d take two officers, not six,” Jordan stated bluntly. “But you won’t do it that way—because you’re a sanctuary city.” Despite Johnston’s defense, Jordan emphasized that sanctuary policies exacerbate danger rather than enhance safety, as they undermine law enforcement’s ability to protect communities.
Jordan delivered a compelling argument that sanctuary policies are fundamentally flawed, risking public and officer safety. He underscored that the appropriate action would have been to notify ICE and wait for their arrival, rather than forcing a hasty confrontation in a public space.
Jordan concluded by highlighting the absurdity of the sanctuary policy’s implementation and its adverse impact on community safety and law enforcement.
— George (@BehizyTweets)
March 5, 2025
