WASHINGTON (WHDH) – Boston Mayor Michelle Wu gave her opening statement in Congress Wednesday in defense of Boston’s immigration policies.
Wu appeared before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, along with the mayors of Chicago, Denver, and New York City.
“I’m proud to be here on behalf of our city — the police officers, first responders, city workers, the faith leaders, teachers, parents, and neighbors, who partner every day to make Boston the safest major city in the nation,” Wu said.
She said she was proud to work with Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox.
“Every year since I took office, we’ve set a new record low for gun violence in Boston. Last year, Boston saw the fewest homicides on record in the last 70 years. Those are the facts,” Wu said.
The mayor also mentioned an increase in young people working paid summer jobs, Pre-K seats at no cost to families, and affordable housing.
“We are the safest major city in the country because our gun laws are the strongest in the nation, because our officers build relationships over decades, and because all of our residents can trust that when they call 911 in the event of an emergency or to report a crime, help will come,” Wu said.
However, she said President Donald Trump’s administration’s approach to immigration is undermining that trust.
“I spoke with pastors whose pews are half-empty on Sundays, doctors whose patients are missing appointments, teachers whose students aren’t coming to class, neighbors afraid to report crimes in their communities, and victims of violence who won’t call the police,” Wu said.
“This federal administration is making hardworking, tax-paying, God-fearing residents afraid to live their lives,” she continued.
The Boston mayor also referenced the city’s history of welcoming immigrants — from the English, to the Irish, and more recently, those from Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cabo Verde, Vietnam, and other countries.
Wu mentioned Boston’s success in education, innovation, sports, and the arts, as well as its rich history.
“One in seven signers of the Declaration of Independence were immigrants. On the last four Red Sox rosters to win a World Series, one in five were immigrants. Of all the faculty at Boston University to have earned the Nobel Prize, all but one were immigrants,” she said.
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