Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has clarified and softened his stance on resisting potential mass deportation efforts under President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration.
His remarks follow controversy over earlier statements suggesting Denver police and residents might physically oppose federal immigration enforcement.
Earlier in the week, Johnston spoke to Denverite, where he implied that the city would take a stand against deportation efforts.
He envisioned a scenario where Denver residents would block such actions, saying, “More than us having [Denver Police Department] stationed at the county line to keep them out, you would have 50,000 Denverites there.”
He even likened the hypothetical resistance to the iconic Tiananmen Square moment, adding, “You’d have every one of those Highland moms who came out for the migrants. And you do not want to mess with them.”
These remarks quickly drew attention and sparked debate, with critics and supporters alike reacting to the strong imagery.
On Friday, Johnston appeared on Denver’s 9News to address the backlash and express regret over the way he framed his earlier statements. “Would I have taken it back if I could? Yes, I probably wouldn’t have used that image,” he admitted.
Johnston explained that his intention was