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Boston’s Wu fires back at Bondi, citing Revolution, as other cities slam feds over ‘sanctuary’ warnings
By Charles Creitz
Published August 19, 2025
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu held a raucous press conference in Beantown on Tuesday, daring Attorney General Pam Bondi to follow through on her letters to blue-city leaders threatening federal action over sanctuary city policies.
Wu, a Democrat, accused the Trump administration of being a party that "doesn’t follow the law."
"At a time when this federal administration is already causing so much fear and harm in our communities, these threats are serious and consequential," she said. The remarks came after the Trump administration warned it could sue or cut federal funds if cities refused to cooperate on immigration enforcement.
Wu noted Bondi demanded all recipients respond by Tuesday and offered her formal response verbally:
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Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, left, and Attorney General Pam Bondi (Getty)
"Stop attacking our cities to hide your administration's failures. Unlike the Trump administration, Boston follows the law… You are wrong on the law, and you are wrong on safety."
Wu went on to say the political right has it "wrong on cities."
"The cities that live in your minds are totally foreign to the residents living in our cities. And we are picking up the pieces of your failures to deliver on your promises," before accusing the Trump administration of increasing costs on Americans.
"Good news on our economy has been as hard to find as the Epstein list," she said to cheers from the crowd, which included a Mariachi group that performed in Spanish prior to her speech, a local preacher, and Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass.
Wu then referenced Boston’s role in the Revolution, addressing Bondi once more and knocking her home state of Florida as late to the constitutional party.
"We are gathered here today to show you who we are in Boston. More than 100 years before your home state was founded, Bostonians were across the street in Faneuil Hall, setting the foundation for our democracy and rule of law. One hundered years before that, Bostonians were founding the first public school and public park in the country."
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"This has always been a city of revolution, of innovation, of standing up for the public good and never bowing down to tyranny. With me today, our fellow public servants and veterans, public safety and faith leaders, civil rights advocates, and labor union members, teachers and business owners, entrepreneurs and artists, youth and seniors."
"This is our city. This is our country, and I'm so proud and grateful to show the world who our community is here in Boston and what we're made of."
Wu was not the only leader to respond to Bondi’s letters.
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson received an identical missive from the Justice Department and promised a full response later Tuesday but hinted at his stance earlier in the week:
"Washington state has no intention of changing our values in the face of threats from the Trump administration," Ferguson said.
"The federal government’s relentless targeting of law-abiding immigrants is wrong."
Cook County, Illinois – which includes Chicago – as well as Philadelphia, New York and other sanctuary cities received the same document from Bondi.
In another preliminary response, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong told CT Insider that "any claim or suggestion that Connecticut has violated or is not in compliance with federal law is false."
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"Connecticut is prepared to pursue all legal rights and remedies to defend our sovereignty and the people and families of Connecticut from federal overreach," Tong said.
In Philadelphia, the city’s attorney claimed to WCAU that America’s birthplace is not a "sanctuary" but a "welcoming city."
"We are aware that the Department of Homeland Security has published a list of jurisdictions across the country, including Philadelphia and other cities and counties in Pennsylvania," Philadelphia City Solicitor Renee Garcia said.
"Philadelphia has not received any formal notification from DHS. We will review any communications carefully."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bostons-wu-fires-back-bondi-other-cities-slam-feds-over-sanctuary-warnings