Reps. Boebert, Evans to faceoff with Denver Mayor Mike Johnston in hearing Wednesday

By / / Top Stories, National, Rocky Mountain Voice

By Brian Porter | Rocky Mountain Voice

The national spotlight will shine brightly on Denver and Mayor Mike Johnston’s sanctuary city policies during the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Wednesday.

He’s among American mayors who will appear in front of the Committee.

Across the dias will be Committee member U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert and Committee waiver U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, two Coloradans who have had a front row seat to the rise in fentanyl deaths, crime, gang influence and more they likely will attribute to having been caused by sanctuary policies.

“We are going to highlight how these sanctuary city and state policies fail public safety, make America less safe, and why we need to continue the path forward to build safe communities that we all deserve,” Evans said Tuesday in a press conference in advance of the hearing.

The hearing will commence at 8 a.m. (Mountain) in HVC 210 in the U.S. Capitol building and will be livestreamed at the Committee’s website and through other sources.

Denver and Colorado are considered immigration sanctuaries because of the passage of House Bill 19-1124, prohibiting local law enforcement from working with federal immigration to remove criminal illegals, and enticements like housing and medical care for illegals. Sheriffs like Weld County’s Steve Reams point to three measures, including HB 19-1124, passed by Colorado Democrats which created sanctuaries.

The presence of Evans at the committee hearing offers a rare perspective among members of the U.S. House. Evans previously served 12 years in the U.S. Army, including a combat deployment during Operation Enduring Freedom, ultimately advancing to the rank of captain. He then served for 11 years in the Arvada Police Department, advancing to the rank of lieutenant, before seeking election to Colorado House District 48. Additionally, he is the grandson of Mexican immigrants.

“As a police officer for over a decade in the metro area, I saw firsthand what was contributing to these problems and a significant percentage of the blame lays on sanctuary city and state policies that allow violent transnational criminal organizations and cartels to come into our community and find safe harbor,” Evans said.

Boebert represents Colorado’s 4th District of Eastern and Northern Colorado, with areas such as Fort Morgan and Greeley notably impacted by illegal immigration, in addition to Aurora, which drew the attention of President Donald Trump on the campaign trail. The state’s sanctuary policies also make those municipalities sanctuaries, despite local leadership opposed to the policy.

“Colorado’s Sanctuary State policies prevent ICE from being able to do their job and remove criminal aliens from our streets!,” Boebert wrote in a Twitter/X post.

In another post, “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris allowed MILLIONS of illegal aliens to invade our country,” Boebert said, adding that President Donald Trump will fix it.

Rep. Comer, in his capacity as chairman of the committee, has announced that Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and New York City Mayor Eric Adams would join Johnston on the panel investigating the policies of sanctuary cities and their impact on public safety and federal immigration enforcement. He has asked the mayors to share documents and communications related to their cities’ sanctuary policies.

“Sanctuary mayors owe the American people an explanation for city policies that jeopardize public safety and violate federal immigration law by releasing dangerous criminal illegal aliens back onto the streets,” Comer previously said in a press release. “These reckless policies in Democrat-run cities and states across our nation have led to too many preventable tragedies. They also endanger ICE agents who are forced to take more difficult enforcement actions in jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.”

The initial announcement of the hearing and Evans inclusion in it drew praise.

In response to Evans, state Rep. Brandi Bradley said “I’m going to host a party!” and several others suggested questions Evans could ask Johnston. Do Better Denver asked Evans to question Johnson about his attempts to conceal Tren de Aragua gang activity and the expense to taxpayers for hotel rooms occupied by illegal aliens. Another commenter, a business CEO, simply responded, “Hell Yeah. I will be watching with Popcorn.”