DENVER — On Monday, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston outlined his goals for the city in 2026, which included safety, affordability, and climate resilience.
However, before Johnston dove into what he wants to see in Denver this year, he addressed rising community fears sparked by two deadly federal enforcement encounters in Minneapolis, vowing to protect residents if ICE were to target Colorado.
"This last weekend — which I know has been a hard one for many residents of Denver — I think, not just watching the heartbreak for Minneapolis, but the uncertainty and the fear that we know settles in members of our community across the city who are worried about what happens if they too are targeted, or if they too stand up to support neighbors who are at risk," Johnston said at the start of the press conference.
On Saturday morning, federal agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. It's the second deadly encounter between federal agents and civilians in Minnesota this month, after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was killed on Jan. 7.
While walking through La Alma-Lincoln Park — an area Johnston said highlights the work the city has done to address gun violence and support individuals living on the street — the mayor did not shy away from questions about what he would do if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cracked down on Colorado next.
Johnston said the city has a three-pronged plan, which begins with prevention.
"We've worked really hard to make this the city that has the largest reduction in homicides of any city in the country. The largest reduction of homelessness of any city in the country. A city that has very successfully brought more migrants than any other city per capita, and helped them connect to services where they're not struggling on the streets. We think that helps make the case there is no need for any federal engagement here," Johnston said.
In addition, the Denver Mayor said the city is prepared to sue the federal government when it believes policies are unconstitutional and that community partners are critical in ensuring residents know their rights.
"This police department has done an incredible job of both protecting people's right to be heard — to have their First Amendment rights heard, we love that people protest and speak out whenever they want to — this team has kept them safe to do that without conflicts or violence. And so, we think that's also been a helpful part of the context that the city has created," said Johnston.
Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas also addressed the crowd on Monday, saying their focus is on safety, but also on creating a welcoming city.
"We want to make sure that those immigrants, those newcomers to our communities, feel safe, feel comfortable reporting crimes to us. We think that is a part of safety as well," Thomas said. "At the same time, we want to make sure that people feel comfortable exercising their First Amendment rights. We feel like we do a very good job of managing those demonstrations, those large demonstrations that happen quite frequently in our city, particularly around the Capitol. And so I think that being able to manage those safely, without chaos, I think is going to go a long way towards making sure that we don't have an infiltration of federal law enforcement.”
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Denver7 asked Mayor Mike Johnston if he would be as vocal as the Minneapolis Mayor if ICE came to Denver next.
"Absolutely. I mean, my top priority is to protect every resident of this city, and I am heartbroken and furious about what's happening in Minneapolis, and it's not even my city," Johnston said. "I would want ICE out of my city as quickly as he would — because what he said, and we know — is that it does not make the city safer, and there are dead Americans to prove that over the last week. So, I feel equally as strongly as he does, and I would support him or any other mayor as much as I would expect them to support us if the situation were different."
Johnston said he does not fear backlash for comments about federal immigration enforcement.
"My job is to protect all our residents, and to be clear that they know we will have their back and support them," Johnston said. "To expect that the federal government will follow the law and follow the Constitution, I don't think that's a risky thing to say.”
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