Democrats struggle against relentless Republican hammering on immigration

Democratic mayors, summoned to Washington to answer for their handling of the immigration crisis, struggled on Wednesday to combat Republican allegations their cities are rife with violent crime and in need of rescuing by the GOP administration.

It was the culmination of months of relentless attacks by President Donald Trump and his allies, and it sets up further moves by the administration — including Vice President JD Vance’s trip to the southern border Wednesday afternoon — to keep Democrats in a defensive crouch on the issue.

Republicans on the House Oversight Committee grilled the chief executives of Boston, Chicago, Denver and New York City on the heels of Trump’s victory lap in his joint address to Congress Tuesday evening. There, he proclaimed that his administration had begun “the most sweeping border and immigration crackdown in American history.”

Mirroring the administration’s language, Republicans in Congress pulled out isolated incidents of violence by undocumented immigrants to make their case that cities with sanctuary status should open their jails to federal authorities — despite the mayors saying there’s no law requiring local authorities to coordinate with U.S. immigration officials.

“Sanctuary cities make us all less safe and are a public safety nightmare,” said House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.). “We cannot let pro-criminal alien policies [and] obstructionist sanctuary cities continue to endanger American communities and the safety of federal immigration enforcement officers.”

Democrats countered with nuanced, at times convoluted, legal arguments about where the authority, and responsibility, to deal with the immigration issue lies.

“The welcoming city ordinance is pretty straightforward — it allows for our local law enforcement to focus on local policies,” said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, of his own city’s sanctuary city policies that protect undocumented residents.

The mayors also rejected the Republican claim that their cities were unsafe because of their sanctuary policies. Johnson pointed out that his city's homicide rate was at a recent low, while Michelle Wu of Boston argued that her city was the safest in the country, in part, because of its gun policies.

Ultimately, however, the events of this week show how Democrats are writhing under the heavy boot of the GOP on immigration, a major electoral issue on which the left has had trouble gaining traction — even as the Trump administration has pursued unpopular efforts like ending birthright citizenship and allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement to make arrests in schools and churches.

During Wednesday’s roughly six-hour hearing, Massachusetts Rep. Stephen Lynch, a Democrat, acknowledged that lawmakers were having a hard time coming up with comprehensive immigration policy given Congress’ responsibilities to regulate immigration and the cities’ own authorities.

“We’re struggling with this right now — there’s a tension between that authority of Congress to act under Article I of the Constitution, and then your responsibility, nobly taken, to provide a safe environment for the residents and visitors to your cities,” Lynch said to the mayors. “How do we reconcile? And I’m asking you for advice.”

The mayors had few, if any, answers. Instead, they punted it back to the Republican lawmakers, including by imploring Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill.

"Respectfully, congressman, you could pass bipartisan legislation and that would be comprehensive immigration law,” Wu said in response to a line of questioning from Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.). “The false narrative is that immigrants in general are criminals, or immigrants in general cause all sorts of danger and harm. That is actually what is undermining safety in our communities.”

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu testifies during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on sanctuary cities on Capitol Hill, March 5, 2025.

That plea is almost certain to fall on deaf ears in a Republican governing trifecta, where GOP lawmakers are more focused on reducing illegal immigration than on expanding pathways to citizenship.

The administration has its own immigration agenda, with Trump officials dialing up the pressure on Congress to fill resource gaps in the months ahead. The president said Tuesday night that he sent a detailed funding request to Congress and urged GOP leaders to move quickly as he vows to complete the “largest deportation operation in American history.”

Vance was in Eagle Pass, Texas, on Wednesday to survey the state of migrant apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border, where he sought to build momentum for the congressional funding ask as the administration’s ability to meet its deportation ambitions has been stymied by lack of resources.

“We didn't need new laws to secure the border, we needed a new president, and thank God we have that,” said Vance, who was on the ground with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

Back on Capitol Hill, Democrats throughout the hearing extolled the virtues of immigration. Mass deportations, Wu said, would be “devastating for our economy.”

At times, both the Democratic mayors and Democrats on the Oversight Committee tried to change the subject entirely. Wu, for instance, called on Congress to pass gun control legislation and to protect Medicaid, as Republicans are mulling cuts to the health care program.

Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, whose Illinois district is not far from Chicago, bemoaned the cost of eggs under the new Trump administration, saying it would soon be cheaper to buy a magazine for an assault rifle than breakfast.

Republicans, on the other hand, demanded the mayors account for violence that they argued was the result of lax immigration enforcement, drawing from emotionally charged and graphic examples.

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio pointed to the arrest of an alleged Venezuelan gang member charged with a number of crimes around the Denver area. Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina accused the mayors of having “blood” on their hands. And Rep. Clay Higgins spoke beside a photo of a young baby held by her parents, one of whom was killed by an undocumented immigrant in Texas.

“He’ll never be here to raise his daughter,” Higgins said, emphatically. “You mayors, you have responsibility not just to your communities and the citizens … but by extension to the entire Republic.”

Jordan pressed Denver Mayor Mike Johnston to answer specifically on the Denver case, which Jordan said culminated in the assault of an ICE official. Johnston said he had reviewed video of the incident and offered to sit down with ICE officials if there were procedures his city could change.

The mayors of California cities that have policies protecting undocumented immigrants were not called to testify. That was a missed opportunity, according to Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.). “They should have been called to account. They weren't. But there'll be other opportunities, and maybe I can make that happen," said McClintock, who chairs an immigration subcommittee.

One mayor received a more friendly welcome by Republicans than the others: New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who has found himself allied with the Trump administration on its immigration agenda after the Department of Justice moved to drop the corruption case against him.

Comer thanked Adams for his cooperation with the administration on working with ICE, while Democrats accused him of entering into a quid pro quo with the administration in return for the dismissal of his criminal case — an allegation Adams vehemently denied.

But the much anticipated hearing, which was hyped with a movie-style trailer from the House Oversight Committee, failed to deliver the same kind of reverberations as the hearing with elite university presidents in late 2023 over allegations of antisemitic activity on their campuses.

House Republicans weren’t able to trip up mayors in the same way Rep. Elise Stefanik did when she questioned the college presidents about whether calling for the genocide of Jews would violate their schools’ codes of conduct.

Still, like many other Oversight Committee hearings in this Congress and the previous legislative session, tensions still at times boiled over into testy exchanges. Comer at one point threatened to remove Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley from the hearing, as she tried to read an article to enter materials into the Congressional record.

“This trend of you all trying to get thrown out of committees so you can get on MSNBC is gonna end,” Comer said. “We’re not gonna put up with it.”

Irie Sentner, Myah Ward, Emily Ngo, Kelly Garrity and Alex Nieves contributed to this report.

Topics

Elon Musk Is Making Republicans Sweat and Giving Democrats a New Target

His unusual governing arrangement with President Trump is opening Republicans up to being yoked politically to Mr. Musk, who polls show is broadly unpopular.
The New York Times - 1d
Democrats slam GOP campaign committee labeling New York lawmaker an ‘illegal immigrant’

Rep. Adriano Espaillat touts himself as a “former undocumented immigrant turned progressive Congressman.”
Politico - 3d
Democrats need ‘new voices’ in fight against Trump, says Sen. Slotkin

In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), who delivered the Democratic response to President Trump’s joint address, says Democrats are still “finding our ...
NBC News - 9h
House Republicans unveil spending bill boosting defense and trimming all else

Strategy is not likely to earn Democrats’ votes, so Trump is leaning on Republicans to force it through. US House Republicans unveiled a spending bill Saturday that would keep federal agencies ...
The Guardian - 1d
Sen. Slotkin says Democrats and Republicans ‘need to do better and act like adults’: Full interview

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) exclusively joins Meet the Press to discuss how Democrats are responding to the Trump administration and who could pick up the mantle of leadership for her party.
NBC News - 10h
James Carville is wrong. Democrats should fight, not ‘play dead.’

Democrats must fight back against Trump and his agenda, as a lack of action will make them appear weak and Americans will despise weakness.
The Hill - 1d
Fellow Democrats tear into Eric Adams on Capitol Hill

The New York mayor faced attacks from the left and center — and praise from Republicans.
Politico - 4d
Republican Voters Support Medicaid but Want Work Requirements, Poll Finds

More than 60 percent of all voters — and 47 percent of Democrats — supported a work requirement for Medicaid, the country’s largest health insurance program.
The New York Times - 2d
Stalked: how a relentless campaign of online abuse came to derail one woman’s life

A new BBC podcast recounts the ordeal endured by Hannah Mossman Moore, whose phone was bombarded by fake accounts and her personal data weaponised against her. “Hi Hannah Mossman Moore . Stalking ...
The Guardian - 16h
Top budget Democrat: GOP spending bill hands ‘a blank check to Elon Musk’

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, slammed the new House Republicans’ six-month stopgap funding bill, claiming it is a “blank check” for tech ...
The Hill - 1d
Big 12 tournament bracket, schedule: Houston dominates conference again as Iowa State, Texas Tech loom

Kansas, which was ranked No. 1 to start the season, struggled late in the conference schedule but won on Sunday against No. 24 Arizona.
Yahoo Sports - 8h
How the Immigration Crackdown Threatens Elderly Care

The U.S. relies heavily on immigrant workers to care for its aging population, with nearly 30 percent of direct care workers coming from other countries. As the demand for caregivers grows, ...
The New York Times - 11h
Transcript: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick and Tom Suozzi on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," March 9, 2025

The following is the transcript of an interview with Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Republican of Pennsylvania, and Tom Suozzi, Democrat of New York, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" ...
CBS News - 4h
Ancelotti blames big teams' struggles on UCL focus

Carlo Ancelotti defended Real Madrid's performance in their 2-1 LaLiga win over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, pointing to the struggles of a number of teams balancing Champions League football with ...
ESPN - 29m
Senate Democrats' impending choice: Shutdown or surrender

House Democrats say they won't vote for the House GOP's spending plan. Democrats across the Capitol aren't so sure.
Politico - 2d
Trump’s immigration policy: ‘Give me your oligarchs, your rich...’

What happened to America’s heart? Have we forgotten that we are a nation of immigrants?
The Hill - 1d
'It's a struggle' - Djokovic loses again

Novak Djokovic suffers his third straight defeat as Dutch lucky loser Botic van de Zandschulp pulls off a shock win.
BBC News - 18h
'It's a struggle' - Djokovic loses again

Novak Djokovic suffers his third straight defeat as Dutch lucky loser Botic van de Zandschulp pulls off a shock win.
Yahoo Sports - 15h
Germany’s political upheaval and the transatlantic alliance’s uncertain future

Germany has emerged from its recent election with a grand coalition of the center-right CDU/CSU and the Social Democratic Party likely, but the rise of the far-right AfD party and its ...
The Hill - 3h
The Price of Milk: Immigrants Behind American Dairy | CBS Reports

The economy and immigration are two of the biggest issues on the minds of Americans, but we rarely get a look behind the scenes to see how these key forces in American life intersect. CBS News Race ...
CBS News - 9h
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick says "it remains to be seen" if GOP can pass bill to avoid shutdown

Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi, who is one of the bipartisan co-chairs of the House Problem Solvers Caucus, tells "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that he will be voting against the continuing ...
CBS News - 6h
Face the Nation: Fitzpatrick, Suozzi, Hill

Missed the second half of the show? The latest on...Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi, who is one of the bipartisan co-chairs of the House Problem Solvers Caucus, tells "Face the Nation with Margaret ...
CBS News - 1h
Congressional Republicans unveil spending plan to avert government shutdown

Congressional Republicans unveiled their plan for a spending bill to avert a government shutdown as the deadline approaches this Friday. NBC News’ Yamiche Alcindor reports.
NBC News - 44m
Lewis Hamilton primed to forge a glorious new hammer time at Ferrari

‘There’s magic here,’ says the F1 veteran whose mission at Scuderia is under threat from McLaren and Verstappen. In the maelstrom of the buildup to the new Formula One season, which opens in ...
The Guardian - 15h
Gavin Newsom splits with Democrats on transgender athletes

California's Democratic governor is already facing blowback from his own party after comments he made in the debut episode of his podcast "This is Gavin Newsom."
CBS News - 2d
Trump-district Democrats face risky vote on GOP spending bill

House Democrats in districts carried by President Trump are confronting a potentially risky vote next week when GOP leaders are expected to put their partisan government funding bill on the floor. ...
The Hill - 13h
A prehistoric creature gets new life and a silent Democratic protest: The news quiz

A traveler got a very unpleasant welcome to Boston, Democrats staged a silent protest and a jewel thief got creative.
NBC News - 1d
Some Democrats Regret Their Scattered Responses to Trump’s Speech to Congress

Progressive and moderate Democrats criticized a protest by Representative Al Green as a distraction, and the party leadership tried to refocus attention on economic issues.
The New York Times - 3h
Schiff: Democrats lacked ‘coordinated response’ to Trump joint address to Congress

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said he thought Democrats lacked a “coordinated response” to President Trump’s joint address to Congress last week. Schiff joined ABC News’s “This Week” on Sunday, where ...
The Hill - 4h
Danger for Republicans as ‘DOGE’ bites veterans

Jobs held by American veterans fell 175,000 last month.
MarketWatch - 1h
Slotkin slams 'reckless' approach to tariffs: 'I just want a scalpel and not a sledgehammer'

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) said Sunday that most Democrats don't oppose tariffs altogether, but she criticized President Trump's approach as "reckless." "Most of us aren't against tariffs, full ...
The Hill - 7h
Private Prisons Are Ramping Up Detention of Immigrants and Cashing In

The Trump administration is expected to use thousands more beds in these facilities as part of its mass deportation effort.
The New York Times - 2d
The pink protest at Trump’s speech shows the Democrats aren’t coming to save us

The general reaction is that this was yet another stunning example of how spineless and performative the Democrats are. Happy International Women’s Day (IWD), everyone! I’ve got some good news and ...
The Guardian - 1d
‘Gut punch’: Democrats decry Trump's plan to cut 80,000 at Veterans Affairs

Democrat lawmakers and veterans' groups are fuming over the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) plans to cut roughly 80,000 employees in the coming months, decrying the lack of transparency and ...
The Hill - 13h
Rage Against Elon Musk Turns Tesla Into a Target

The backlash against the electric vehicle company has turned violent at times, as its billionaire chief executive parlays his support for President Trump into consequential influence over the ...
The New York Times - 1d
Trump administration briefing: US backs Russia ahead of G7, Republican spending bill boosts defense

US has reportedly rejected Canadian proposal to tackle Russian ‘shadow fleet’, Republican bill trims everything aside from defense – key US politics stories from Saturday at a glance. The US has ...
The Guardian - 21h
Female students mark International Women's day by leading protests in Serbia against corruption

Female students have marked International Women's Day in Serbia by leading protests against corruption and sending a message decrying widespread violence against women in the country
ABC News - 1d
State Republicans Eager to Climb on Cost-Cutting Bandwagon

G.O.P. governors and legislators are parroting the federal Department of Government Efficiency by creating panels at the state level. But the similarities only go so far.
The New York Times - 14h
Rangers' Collapse Against Senators Is Costly In Heated Playoff Race

The New York Rangers had two points in the palm of their hands against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday afternoon, but squandered the opportunity after a late-game collapse, leading to a 4-3 ...
Yahoo Sports - 1d

More in Politics

Mark Carney to become Canada’s next prime minister after Liberal Party vote

Canada’s Liberal Party chose its next leader in Mark Carney, and he will soon replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to lead the country. The exact date for Carney, 59, to take office is uncertain, ...
The Hill - 41m
Canada’s Liberal Party elects Mark Carney to replace Justin Trudeau

Canada’s Liberal Party on Sunday elected Mark Carney as the party’s new leader after a high-stakes race to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. NBC News’ Molly Hunter has the latest.
NBC News - 44m
Congressional Republicans unveil spending plan to avert government shutdown

Congressional Republicans unveiled their plan for a spending bill to avert a government shutdown as the deadline approaches this Friday. NBC News’ Yamiche Alcindor reports.
NBC News - 44m
Secret Service shoots armed man in confrontation near White House

The U.S. Secret Service shot an adult male near the White House in Washington, D.C., shortly after midnight on Sunday after an “armed confrontation” with law enforcement, according to the agency. ...
NBC News - 44m
Protesters dispute Vance’s description of clash on street over Ukraine: 'No one was chasing him'

The protesters who confronted Vice President Vance disputed his version of what happened, claiming that “no one was chasing him.” Video shared with WCPO in Cincinnati from one of the protesters, ...
The Hill - 1h