Mayor Risks Job Fighting Trump’s Deportation Plans

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Sen. Rand Paul warns that Denver’s mayor risks removal from office over his stance against President-elect Donald Trump’s deportation plans.

In response to Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s promise of a “Tiananmen Square moment” involving thousands of residents to resist Trump’s immigration enforcement, Paul expressed strong criticism during his appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston backtracks on calling for Denver Police to confront federal immigration officials. He continues to call for citizens to protest, even willing to go to jail himself to protect illegal immigrants.

Democrats first priority is to always defend criminals.… pic.twitter.com/scA3lVl8tN

— Jeff Hunt (@jeffhunt) November 23, 2024

“I would say that the mayor of Denver, if he’s going to resist federal law — which, there’s a longstanding history of the supremacy of federal law — he’s going to resist that, it will go all the way to the Supreme Court,” Paul told host Margaret Brennan.

“And I would suspect that he would be removed from office. I don’t know whether or not there’d be a criminal prosecution for someone resisting federal law, but he will lose.”

The Kentucky senator characterized Johnston’s position as insurrectionary, suggesting the mayor’s resistance to federal authority puts him “on the wrong side of history.”

As a sanctuary city, Denver currently restricts local law enforcement’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Johnston recently confirmed to Denverite that local police would not assist in federal deportation efforts.

This stance directly challenges Trump’s incoming border czar, Tom Homan, who has instructed sanctuary cities to “get the hell out of the way” of upcoming deportation initiatives.

BOOM: Democrat Denver Mayor Mike Johnston cut services for residents so he can reallocate funds for illegals. Now he announced he’s gonna protect illegals in his city and won’t cooperate with the Trump admin! The fight starts now! #Resist pic.twitter.com/OrJaI2Q88R

— Sarah Jane Winfoot 🇭🇹 (@SJWinfoot) November 22, 2024

While Paul backs Trump’s focus on deporting criminal offenders, he opposes military involvement in the process. “I’m a hundred percent supportive of going after the 15,000 murderers, the 13,000 sexual assault perpetrators, rapists, all these people. Let’s send them on their way to prison or back home to another prison,” he said.

The senator emphasized that law enforcement, not the military, should handle deportations to ensure compliance with Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, noting Americans’ traditional wariness of military presence in civilian areas.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.