Denver Mayor: Biggest Issue on Immigration Isn’t Crime, It’s DREAMers, People Who ‘Played by the Rules’

On Tuesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Lead,” Denver Mayor Mike Johnston stated that the biggest issue with immigration “is not crime” and “The real question is, what do we do with the DREAMers who are here and have been here for 10 or 20 years? What do we do with folks who came in and played by the rules and are waiting on their day in court as asylum seekers or TPS recipients? We want to make sure those populations get their fair day in court and make their case. And those folks who are right now on the job contributing to our economy, we don’t think any employers in the city want them pulled off the job and deported when they’re contributing.”

In response to a question on congressional hearings on sanctuary cities, Johnston said, “We’ve been invited. We’ve been in contact with their staff and their team. And look, we’re open to a conversation about comprehensive federal immigration reform and what Congress can do to help make the situation in cities much easier to manage.”

He continued, “I think what we know is the biggest challenge here is not crime. We’ve seen a decrease in crime during the increased arrival of newcomers. We know the incidence of crime is lowest among our immigrant population of almost any of our populations. When it does exist, we address it quickly and resolve it. The real question is, what do we do with the DREAMers who are here and have been here for 10 or 20 years? What do we do with folks who came in and played by the rules and are waiting on their day in court as asylum seekers or TPS recipients? We want to make sure those populations get their fair day in court and make their case. And those folks who are right now on the job contributing to our economy, we don’t think any employers in the city want them pulled off the job and deported when they’re contributing.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

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