What’s subsequent for Denver’s finances and mayor following immigration listening to in D.C.? Nobody’s certain.

After weeks of anticipation adopted via a six-hour listening to, Denver officers hope they may be able to put Mayor Mike Johnston’s testimony prior to Congress at the back of them.

However it is probably not that straightforward.

All over Wednesday’s listening to concerning the immigrant-friendly insurance policies enacted via Denver and 3 different towns, contributors of the Space Committee on Oversight and Executive Reform threatened the mayors with prison fees. President Donald Trump and different Republicans have additionally vowed to chop the towns off from tens of millions of bucks in federal make stronger.

The U.S. Division of Justice is already investigating each Chicago and New York Town over their insurance policies and Denver might be subsequent.

“I don’t assume that is the final you’re going to pay attention from the Oversight Committee and different committees in Congress in this factor,” U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Windsor Republican and member of the committee, mentioned in an interview with The Denver Submit.

Town and out of doors prison mavens say Denver’s insurance policies are in keeping with federal legislation, so that they imagine there’s little probability prison fees will probably be pursued. Whilst Johnston hopes that protection may even give protection to town from dropping federal investment, officers are treading sparsely as they dole out any federal bucks.

However the mayor recognizes something needless to say: There’s no actual simple task as to what steps the president and Congress will take.

“We don’t have to any extent further knowledge on what comes subsequent,” Johnston mentioned. “I believe we can stay going about our trade working town. If there are different questions … we can be responsive, however we don’t have any presumption of what the following steps are.”

A danger of prison fees

All over the listening to, a number of committee contributors mentioned they sought after to pursue prison fees in opposition to Johnston and the opposite mayors who seemed along him, from Boston, New York Town and Chicago. Whether or not any instances are opened is in the long run a choice for the U.S. Division of Justice.

“I don’t assume you guys are dangerous folks, however I do assume you might be ideologically misled,” mentioned Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Florida, including that she deliberate to “criminally refer” them to Legal professional Common Pam Bondi.

Luna accused Johnston of violating the federal harboring statute, which makes it a criminal offense for somebody who “conceals, harbors or shields from detection, or makes an attempt to hide, harbor or defend from detection, such alien in anywhere, together with any development or any method of transportation.”

She pointed to Denver’s coverage of offering safe haven to migrants who got here to town on buses starting in past due 2022 as being the foundation for a imaginable rate in opposition to Johnston.

Prison mavens say it sort of feels not likely any such case would cling.

“From what I noticed, no one was once concealing, harboring or shielding other folks from detection,” mentioned Elizabeth Jordan, a visiting assistant professor on the College of Denver’s Sturm School of Regulation who focuses on immigration legislation.

Jordan mentioned she thinks the threats via contributors of Congress are much less of an actionable plan for prosecution and extra of a “planned technique” to scare folks like Johnston who’re supportive of immigrants.

“That is all a part of a large rhetorical technique that they’ve were given at the federal stage,” she mentioned.

Johnston could also be bullish that town’s ordinances don’t open town as much as prison motion.

“We don’t seem to be in violation of federal legislation,” Johnston mentioned in an interview. “There aren’t any grounds to pursue prosecutions of our town.”

Below a 2017 ordinance, town gained’t ask somebody about their immigration standing or lend a hand federal brokers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. However Johnston mentioned Denver nonetheless paintings with ICE in relation to violent criminals.

Colorado lawmakers have additionally handed regulations that block some cooperation with ICE, together with preventing jails from preserving inmates only on the request of federal government. Like in lots of counties, regardless that, the Denver Sheriff Division will notify ICE when it’s about to free up anyone who federal brokers need to detain.

Conceivable lack of federal investment

The committee may just additionally observe thru on threats to divert federal price range clear of Denver over town’s insurance policies. About $150 million of Denver’s $4.4 billion finances for 2025 is federal cash.

Whilst the likelihood wasn’t a significant speaking level from Republicans throughout the listening to, Trump and others have discussed the choice a number of occasions.

Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, the chair of the committee, opened the listening to via announcing Trump’s management is already taking motion in opposition to “sanctuary towns.”

“Congress will have to observe via no longer permitting a unmarried penny of federal investment to visit towns and states that prioritize prison extraterrestrial beings over the American folks,” he mentioned.

An afternoon after Johnston seemed in D.C., the U.S. Small Industry Management introduced it will pull regional workplaces from Denver and 5 different greater “sanctuary towns” over their insurance policies.

In an interview after the listening to, Johnston reiterated that he doesn’t assume there may be any status for Congress to remove town’s investment, however mentioned if that did occur, it will have a “profound have an effect on” at the town’s services and products.