Denver Mayor Mike Johnston says Trump's mass migrant deportations will create 'Tiananmen Square moment'
Democratic Denver Mayor Mike Johnston pledged to resist President-elect Trump's proposed immigration policies, invoking China's infamous Tiananmen Square incident by saying residents would rise up against federal agents.
Johnston emphasized Denver's commitment to protecting illegal migrants and maintaining its sanctuary city status, saying it would not be "bullied" by the incoming Trump administration.
"We're not going to sell out those values to anyone," Johnston told the Denverite in an interview. "We're not going to be bullied into changing them."
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Johnston predicted a "Tiananmen Square moment" if federal immigration officials attempted to do their job.
"More than us having DPD stationed at the county line to keep them out, you would have 50,000 Denverites there," Johnston told the local outlet. "It’s like the Tiananmen Square moment with the rose and the gun, right? You’d have every one of those Highland moms who came out for the migrants.
"And you do not want to mess with them."
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The Democratic mayor's remarks came after Trump campaigned, in part, on enforcing stringent immigration laws and deporting migrants and reflect a trend by state and local officials saying they'll reject the president-elect's policies.
In Illinois, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker promised to uphold sanctuary status, boldly declaring, "If you come for my people, you come through me."
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In Los Angeles, Democratic Mayor Karen Bass was instrumental in passing a local ordinance limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
"Especially in the face of growing threats to the immigrant communities here in Los Angeles, I stand with the people of this city," Bass said. "This moment demands urgency. Immigrant protections make our communities stronger and our city better."
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Trump has vowed to initiate deportation efforts on his first day back in office, recently saying he would be open to declaring a national emergency and using the military to make it happen.
Trump's commitment to closing the border was cemented by his pick of "border czar," Tom Homan.
"If you don’t want to work with us, then get the hell out all the way. We’re going to do it,’ Homan recently said.