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Trump says Canada has not taken steps necessary to end tariffs

March 5, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — President Donald Trump criticized Canada on Wednesday for what he described as failure to take the steps necessary for the United States to withdraw tariffs imposed a day earlier.

Trump said he held a call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday during which the two leaders discussed a path to U.S. withdrawal of the tariffs, Trump said, noting such an outcome would require sufficient action by Canada to address drug trafficking.

A week ago, Trump alleged that illicit drugs such as fentanyl had continued to enter the U.S. through Mexico and Canada despite agreements reached last month to address the issue.

In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump said, “nothing has convinced me” that the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. had stopped.

“[Trudeau] said that it’s gotten better, but I said, ‘That’s not good enough.’ The call ended in a ‘somewhat’ friendly manner!” Trump said.

Since September, nearly all fentanyl seized by the U.S. came through the Southern border with Mexico, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, or CBP, a federal agency. Less than 1% of fentanyl was seized at the Northern border with Canada, CBP found.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sharply criticized the tariffs on Tuesday, calling them a “dumb” policy that does not “make sense.”

The reason for the tariffs is based on a false allegation about Canada as a major source of drugs entering the U.S., Trudeau added.

Persistent tensions between the U.S. and Canada emerged after China issued a warning on Tuesday night that it stands ready for any “type of war” with the United States in the aftermath of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

The U.S. slapped 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, as well as 10% tariffs on imports from China. The fresh round of duties on Chinese goods doubled an initial set of tariffs placed on China last month.

A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry said the tariffs would not lead to a resolution of U.S. concerns about fentanyl originating in China.

“If the U.S. truly wants to solve the fentanyl issue, then the right thing to do is to consult with China on the basis of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit to address each other’s concerns,” Chinese spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press conference late Tuesday.

“If the U.S. has other agenda in mind and if war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end,” the spokesperson added.

The comments came soon after the Trump administration imposed 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, as well as 10% tariffs on imports from China. The fresh round of duties on Chinese goods doubled an initial set of tariffs placed on China last month.

Within minutes of the new U.S. tariffs taking effect, China unveiled on Tuesday its initial response by placing additional 10% to 15% tariffs on imported U.S. goods, like chicken, wheat, soybeans and beef.

“The retaliatory tariffs that China is imposing is very specific and directly targeted at American farmers, who are mostly in red states and mostly voted for Trump,” Neil Thomas, a fellow for Chinese politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis, told ABC News.

“So China is trying to create pain where it matters for Trump, and it’s hoping to get Trump to the negotiating table and offer relief for this group of Trump supporters,” Thomas added.

The recent duties will be placed on top of similar tariffs imposed by China during the first Trump administration’s trade war in 2018. Some of those tariffs are already at 25%, though Beijing issued some waivers as a result of the 2020 “phase one” trade deal.

The new Chinese tariffs are set to come into effect for goods shipped out March 10.

In a series of social media posts last month, Trump said he would place tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China for hosting the manufacture and transport of illicit drugs that end up in the U.S.

During an address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, Trump also sharply criticized tariffs imposed by the Chinese government on U.S. goods.

“President Trump continues to demonstrate his commitment to ensuring U.S. trade policy serves the national interest,” the White House said in a statement on Tuesday.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Tuesday afternoon that Trump may soon offer Canada and Mexico a pathway to relief from tariffs placed on some goods covered by North America’s free trade agreement.

Lutnick did not mention a potential compromise with China.

ABC News’ Selina Wang, Kevin Shalvey, Karson Yiu and Ellie Kaufman contributed to this report.

Pope Francis goes through day without any ‘episodes of respiratory failure,’ Vatican says

March 5, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON and ROME) — Pope Francis “remained stationary” on Wednesday, “without showing any episodes of respiratory failure,” according to the Vatican.

The pope received “high-flow oxygen therapy during the day, and noninvasive mechanical ventilation will be resumed during the night,” the Vatican said in its evening update.

Pope Francis spent the day in an armchair, participated in the “ritual blessing of the Holy Ashes that were imposed on him by the celebrant” and received the Eucharist, the Vatican said.

“During the morning he also called Father Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of the Holy Family in Gaza. In the afternoon he alternated rest with work,” the Vatican said.

The pope “rested well during the night” and woke shortly after 8 a.m. Wednesday morning, his 20th day in hospital, as his condition remains stable and his prognosis remains reserved, according to the Vatican.

The pontiff had needed medical intervention amid two episodes of “acute respiratory failure” on Monday, Vatican sources told ABC News.

The pope did not have any episodes of respiratory failure or bronchospasm on Tuesday, according to the Vatican.

Pope Francis has remained “alert, cooperating with therapy and oriented,” the Vatican’s press office, the Holy See, said. He underwent “high-flow oxygen therapy and respiratory physiotherapy” on Tuesday, the Vatican said.

He resumed noninvasive mechanical ventilation overnight into Wednesday morning “as planned,” according to the Vatican.

The pope, 88, was taken off noninvasive mechanical ventilation and resumed receiving supplemental oxygen through a nasal tube, Vatican sources said Tuesday. He was no longer wearing a mechanical ventilation mask, a device that pumped oxygen into his lungs, the sources said.

Wednesday marks Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, which is a 40-day season of prayer, fasting and giving. It concludes with Holy Week, which leads to Easter Sunday, the most important day in the Christian calendar.

The Vatican said last week that Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, major penitentiary and delegate of the pope, will replace Pope Francis at Wednesday’s liturgical celebration for Ash Wednesday in Rome.

The Cardinal will read the Homily prepared by the Pope and the text will be released later today, the Vatican said.

Francis, who has led the Catholic Church since 2013, was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Feb. 14 and was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia. The pontiff had a bronchospasm attack on Friday, church officials said.

Lawyers use Trump’s speech before Congress in suit against DOGE

March 5, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Less than an hour after President Donald Trump finished his joint address to Congress on Tuesday, lawyers cited his words as evidence in a lawsuit challenging Elon Musk’s role in the administration’s drastic cuts to federal spending, workers and services.

Lawyers representing a group of nonprofits and unions that are challenging the legality of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, included an excerpt from the speech in their filing Tuesday with the U.S. District Court for Washington, D.C., to argue that more information is “urgently needed to ascertain the nature” of the budget-slashing group.

The White House has represented that DOGE is run by acting administrator Amy Gleason, rather than by Musk. However, during his address before a joint session of Congress Tuesday, Trump clearly identified Musk as the person running DOGE, seemingly contradicting his own administration.

“To further combat inflation, we will not only be reducing the cost of energy, but will be ending the flagrant waste of taxpayer dollars. And to that end, I have created the brand new Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE. Perhaps you’ve heard of it. Perhaps. Which is headed by Elon Musk, who is in the gallery tonight,” Trump said during his address, with Musk himself present and watching the speech.

Musk was seen accepting the praise and thanking the president.

The Tuesday-night filing was submitted in a case challenging the legality of DOGE by arguing it had not complied with the terms of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which governs how the government runs advisory commissions.

As DOGE’s influence grows throughout the federal government, its exact nature and its relationship with Musk remains vague. The Trump administration insists that Musk is merely a senior advisor to the president and that DOGE should be exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.

In a separate filing Wednesday morning, the plaintiffs’ attorneys asked a federal judge to fast-track their case this week by expediting discovery – the process by which the parties in a legal matter exchange evidence.

“The factual background of this case is in a constant state of flux, all due to the Government’s inconsistent positions regarding the nature of the work Elon Musk performs,” they wrote in the filing.

Lawyers representing DOGE oppose the request to fast-track the case, according to the plaintiff’s attorneys.

While Trump’s remarks during his address before Congress on Tuesday are unlikely to dramatically change the trajectory of the court case, the filing demonstrates the growing and complicated entanglement between the president’s claims, the arguments made by Department of Justice lawyers in court, and the nearly one hundred lawsuits challenging the Trump administration.

Republicans move to censure Democrat Al Green after he disrupted Trump’s address

March 5, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — House Republicans are moving to censure Democratic Rep. Al Green after his disruptions during President Donald Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night.

By Wednesday morning, several members of the GOP conference have been circulating different resolutions to censure Green, who was ejected from the House chamber on Tuesday night after interrupting Trump’s remarks multiple times.

Republican Rep. Dan Newhouse was the first to formally introduce a resolution on the House floor on Wednesday. His measure was introduced as privileged, meaning the House must take it up within two legislative days.

“Decorum and order are the institutional grounds for the way we do business in the United States Congress, and the sheer disregard for that standard during President Trump’s address by the gentleman from Texas is unacceptable,” Newhouse said in a statement. “A Member’s refusal to adhere to the Speaker’s direction to cease such behavior, regardless of their party, has and will continue to be reprimanded in the people’s House.”

The House Freedom Caucus also said on Wednesday that it plans to introduce a censure resolution against Green.

Green’s outburst happened within minutes of Trump’s address, when the president called his electoral victory a “mandate.”

Green, an 11-term Democrat representing the Houston area, stood up and pointed his cane as he shouted, “You have no mandate to cut Medicaid.”

Speaker Mike Johnson slammed his gavel and gave a warning to lawmakers assembled to maintain decorum, telling Green several times to take his seat. As Green continued to protest, Johnson called for him to be removed.

Johnson said after Trump’s address that Green should be censured and that he would “absolutely” put a resolution on the floor after its introduction. He told reporters, “it’s a spectacle that was not necessary. He’s made history in a terrible way. And I hope he enjoys it.”

On “Good Morning America” on Wednesday morning, Johnson also defended his decision to have Green removed.

“Al Green was trying to interrupt the entire proceeding. But look, I’ll just say this. If the Democrats want a 77-year-old congressman to be the face of their resistance, heckling the president, then bring it on,” he said.

Green told ABC News late Tuesday night he’d accept any “punishment” from his heckling as he was “following the wishes of conscience.”

“There are times when it it better to stand alone than not stand at all,” Green said.

“At some point, we’re all going to have to stand up,” he added.

Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this report.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford reacts to Trump’s tariffs, plans to remove American liquor and implement surcharge on electricity

March 5, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(TORONTO) — Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s tariffs against Canada are the “craziest idea.”

The premier spoke with ABC News Live to share his reaction to Trump slapping a 25% tariff on goods coming from Canada on Tuesday, which Ford said “caught everyone off guard.”

Ford first responded to the tariffs on Tuesday, saying he will implement a 25% export tax on electricity powering homes in the United States and will remove American liquor and beer off Canadian shelves.

“That’s the last thing I want to do. I want to put more alcohol on the shelves. I want to give you more electricity. I want to do everything I can to have a great relationship with our closest friends that we absolutely love,” Ford told ABC News.

Ford said on Tuesday his government would end a contract with Elon Musk-owned satellite internet service Starlink and shut off power to the U.S., impacting millions on homes in Minnesota, Michigan and New York.

“It’s not the people of America, it’s not the elected officials, it’s one person that has caused this issue, and that was President Trump,” Ford said. “We have to retaliate — as much as we don’t want to — to our closest friends and allies.”

Ontario sends a “tremendous amount of electricity” to the United States, Ford said, adding he must “protect our country” after Trump’s attacks on their economy.

“We look at the U.S. as a family member,” Ford told ABC News. “It’s like we’re their little brother or little sister and it’s been going on for 200 years. Now we have to protect our country against our great ally.”

Ford said he met with the U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday, calling him a “super bright individual.” Ford told Lutnick to not “attack your closest friend and ally,” and that he wants to have a “fair trade agreement.”

“We help each other,” Ford said. “We send lumber, aluminum, steel and high-grade nickel to keep your manufacturing going. Along with electricity and oil, the list just keeps going on and on. That’s the way it’s been for over a century. We want to continue doing that.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also spoke out against the tariff decision on Tuesday, calling it a “dumb” policy that does not “make sense.”

During Trump’s joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, he said he would implement additional reciprocal tariffs starting in April, a decision that Ford said will “hurt Canadians and Americans” and will cause inflation on both sides of the country.

“You’ll see plants close in the U.S., possibly assembly lines in the auto sector will close in the next five days, and for what reason? I do not understand, I think it’s the craziest idea someone could ever come up with,” Ford said.

Ford reaffirmed his love for Ontario’s American neighbors, calling them the “best in the world,” and that this retaliation to the tariffs is not directed toward them.

On Feb. 27, Trump alleged fentanyl had continued to enter the U.S. through Mexico and Canada despite agreements reached last month to address the issue. However, only 1% of the fentanyl confiscated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection actually enter through the Canadian border.

“We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA, and therefore, until it stops, or is seriously limited, the proposed TARIFFS scheduled to go into effect on MARCH FOURTH will, indeed, go into effect, as scheduled,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

“They misjudged the will of the Canadian people and the strength of the Canadian people,” Ford said. “Let’s get through this.”

When will prices go up due to Trump’s tariffs?

March 5, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Price hikes for gasoline and groceries could reach shoppers within days in the aftermath of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, experts told ABC News.

Some products such as auto fuel and fresh produce will be hit with near-instant price increases, while others like cars, laptops and children’s toys will show hikes in the coming weeks and months, they said.

The Trump administration imposed 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, as well as 10% tariffs on imports from China. The fresh round of duties on Chinese goods doubled an initial set of tariffs placed on China last month.

Mexico, Canada and China make up the three largest U.S. trading partners, accounting for a vast array of products ranging from everyday essentials to big-ticket purchases.

Tariffs of this magnitude would likely increase prices paid by U.S. shoppers, since importers typically pass along a share of the cost of those higher taxes to consumers, experts said.

“Higher tariffs will translate into higher prices for some products very quickly,” Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, told ABC News. “It will take longer for everything from vehicles to appliances to consumer electronics.”

In a series of social media posts last month, Trump said he would place tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China for hosting the manufacture and transport of illicit drugs that end up in the U.S.

During an address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, Trump also sharply criticized tariffs imposed on U.S. goods by Canada, Mexico and China.

“President Trump continues to demonstrate his commitment to ensuring U.S. trade policy serves the national interest,” the White House said in a statement on Tuesday.

The U.S. imported $38.5 billion in agricultural goods from Mexico in 2023, making it the top recipient of such products, U.S Department of Agriculture data showed. Those imports include more than $3 billion worth of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Roughly 90% of avocados eaten in the U.S. last year originated in Mexico, USDA data showed. Other products with a high concentration of Mexican imports include tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, jalapeños, limes and mangos.

These products will show price increases within days because fresh produce cannot be held on shelves for an extended period, meaning imports slapped with tariffs will soon reach shoppers, Jason Miller, a professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University, told ABC News.

“That’s what you’d expect to be hit the fastest,” Miller said.

A similar dynamic will play out for gasoline prices for some U.S. drivers living in regions that rely on crude oil from Mexico and Canada, said Timothy Fitzgerald, a professor of business economics at the University of Tennessee who studies the petroleum industry.

Mexico and Canada account for 70% of U.S. crude oil imports, which make up a key input for the nation’s gasoline supply, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, a government agency.

Those imports come primarily from Canada, which sends crude oil to U.S. refineries built specifically to process the crude and redistribute it as gasoline for cars and trucks. Gasoline that originates as Canadian crude reaches customers in the upper Midwest as well as some along the East and West coasts, Fitzgerald said.

Gas refiners and retailers retain the ability to alter prices multiple times per day, meaning price hikes may have hit some drivers as early as Tuesday, he added.

“Think about a digital board at a gas station – a couple taps to a button and the price goes up,” Fitzgerald said.

A second wave of price increases will hit a wide-ranging set of products over the coming weeks and months, some experts said.

A large share of consumer electronics – such as laptops, video game systems and smartphones – enter the U.S. from China, meaning the new tariffs will filter through into higher prices for those goods, they said.

Price hikes will ultimately hit children’s toys, since many of those products also originate in China, Miller said.

Some U.S. retailers appear to have been stockpiling children’s toys in anticipation of the tariffs, but the stored items will run out soon, he added.

“You probably don’t get much of a reprieve beyond April,” Miller said.

Prices for Mexico-made beer and tequila will also rise over the coming months, as will the cost of Canada-made maple syrup, Miller added.

Canada is the top source of imported U.S. eggs, adding stress to a supply chain already decimated by an avian flu outbreak.

Egg prices skyrocketed 53% over the past year, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed last month.

Since the U.S. relies overwhelmingly on domestic egg production, however, a potential price increase for Canadian eggs is not expected to meaningfully drive up egg prices at U.S. stores, Miller said.

“But it certainly doesn’t make things better,” Miller added.

ABC News’ Jacob Eufemia contributed to this report.

Judge weighing whether to compel Trump administration to unfreeze FEMA funds

March 5, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge is weighing whether to compel the Trump administration to unfreeze millions of dollars in previously allocated FEMA funds.

A coalition of 22 Democratic attorneys general says the administration is illegally withholding the funds despite a court order requiring their payment.

The attorneys general have asked the judge to compel the Trump administration to unfreeze the payments, alleging that at least 16 states have been unable to access money from 140 FEMA grants.

According to their motion filed in federal court on Friday, programs whose funds have been frozen include wildfire prevention, emergency management, terrorism prevention, cybersecurity, and flood mitigation.

“The safety of our residents is not a game and should not be subject to partisan politics and retribution from the President and his appointees,” said New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin, one of the 22 attorneys general who filed the motion.

In January, a federal judge in Rhode Island prohibited the Trump administration from unilaterally freezing federal funding. While the Trump administration unfroze some of the funds, the attorneys general allege that the federal government continues to withhold millions in FEMA funding.

Their court filing included multiple examples of FEMA’s payment system showing the grants continuing to be frozen.

The dispute about the FEMA funds comes as the Trump administration is considering reshaping or abolishing FEMA. In January, Trump signed an executive order to begin the process to reform or consider “getting rid of” the agency tasked with disaster relief.

Mayors from ‘sanctuary cities’ grilled during House hearing

March 5, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The mayors of Boston, Chicago, Denver and New York City faced a fiery House Oversight Committee during a blockbuster hearing on sanctuary cities on Wednesday.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, and New York City Mayor Eric Adams all defended their actions on immigration enforcement in their respective cities as Republicans on the committee accused them of increasing crime and impeding on law enforcement actions.

“The mayors here today each lead so-called ‘sanctuary cities,’ and let’s be clear, these policies only create sanctuary for criminals,” Chairman James Comer, a Republican, said in his opening remarks.

“Today, mayors Wu, Johnson, Johnston and Adams will be publicly accountable for their failure to follow the law and protect the American people.”

Sanctuary cities still enforce U.S. federal immigration laws, but the term often refers to a limited collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement while enacting policies that are more favorable to undocumented people.

Democrats immediately criticized the Trump administration, arguing the overreach of federal officials has led to unlawful detentions and created fear in communities.

“Republicans have hauled before us the mayors of four major American cities to frame them as lawless, because those cities have some limits on how intrusively and aggressively their own officials can conduct federal immigration operations and responsibilities,” Ranking Member Gerry Connolly said.

“Let’s be clear, the state and local laws that Republicans have issue with today are in full compliance with federal law. They do not obstruct ICE from carrying out its duties, and they are backed by evidence demonstrating that they keep people safe.”

Throughout the hearing, the mayors took turns defending their status, describing how they work with law enforcement on arrests while also creating policies that make their cities more safe.

“As mayor, I do not control who enters or remains in our country, but I do have to manage the population that is within our city,” said Adams, who said as New York City mayor he is working with the Trump administration on immigration aid. “In order to carry out this function without having long term negative ramification, I must create an atmosphere that allows every law abiding resident, documented or not to access vital services without fear of being turned over to federal authorities.”

Wu said that the Trump administration is making “hard-working, tax-paying, God-fearing residents afraid to live their lives.”

“A city that scared is not a city that’s safe. A land ruled by fear is not the land of the free,” Wu said.

Wednesday’s committee hearing comes as President Donald Trump’s administration officials have ramped up their immigration enforcement efforts with Attorney General Pam Bondi shutting down federal grants to sanctuary cities and multiple threats “border czar” Tom Homan has issued toward these mayors if they refuse to comply.

On Tuesday, Bondi said efforts to crack down on immigration enforcement would increase in Boston, citing a lack of effort from Wu to prosecute undocumented immigrants.

“As a result of the Mayor’s decision to side with public safety threats over law-abiding citizens, DOJ will have no choice but to increase efforts in the city of Boston. Criminals will be prosecuted, illegal aliens will be arrested, and justice will be served,” Bondi posted on X.

Thunderstorms, heavy rain hit East Coast with blizzard conditions in the Midwest

March 5, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Two storms are targeting the country, with one bringing heavy rain to the East Coast and blizzard conditions to the Midwest, and the second dropping snow and rain in the West.

East Coast storm

The East Coast storm first tore through the South, with at least 10 tornadoes reported from Oklahoma to Florida.

The storm is now barreling up the coast, moving through Georgia and South Carolina on Wednesday morning.

Later in the morning and into the afternoon, a squall line with possible tornadoes will target the area from Charleston, South Carolina, to Raleigh, North Carolina, to Virginia Beach, Virginia.

A tornado watch is in effect in the Carolinas, where damaging winds could reach 70 mph.

In the early afternoon, severe thunderstorms could hit Washington, D.C., bringing heavy rain and damaging winds.

The storm will reach Philadelphia by mid-afternoon, and then bring heavy rain and gusty winds to the New York City area during the evening rush hour.

New York City could see up to 1 inch of rain and localized flooding, the city’s emergency management department warned.

“Plan ahead if you’re in an area prone to flooding,” the department said on social media. “If traveling, take extra care and time.”

In the Midwest and the Great Lakes, the same storm system is bringing a blizzard warning from Iowa to Michigan. A combination of heavy snow and wind gusts over 50 mph will create dangerous whiteout conditions on the roads.

Parts of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan could see 1 to 2 feet of snow by the afternoon.

Up to 1 foot of snow fell just south of Minneapolis, while the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport recorded more than 7 inches, making it the biggest snowstorm of the winter season.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz declared a peacetime emergency and authorized the state’s National Guard to give support.

“Give plows room to work,” the Minnesota State Patrol said. “Slow down, buckle up and put distractions away.”

West Coast storm

Meanwhile, a second storm is hitting 11 states in the West, from California to South Dakota, from Wednesday through Friday.

One to 3 feet of snow is possible from California to the Rocky Mountains.

Rain is expected in Southern California, including Los Angeles. There’s not a major threat for flash flooding but there could be debris flow in wildfire burn scar areas.

Mayors from ‘sanctuary cities’ testify before Congress

March 5, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Mayors of Boston, Chicago, Denver and New York City are testifying on Wednesday in front of the House Oversight Committee during a blockbuster hearing on sanctuary cities.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and New York City Mayor Eric Adams are all set to defend their actions on immigration enforcement in their respective cities as Republicans on the committee have already warned they won’t be holding back.

“Today, mayors Wu, Johnson, Johnston and Adams will be publicly accountable for their failure to follow the law and protect the American people.”

Sanctuary cities often have limited cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which enforces U.S. immigration laws around the country. Sanctuary cities often have policies that are welcoming to illegal immigrants.

On Tuesday, Bondi said efforts to crack down on immigration enforcement would increase in Boston, citing a lack of effort from Wu to prosecute undocumented immigrants.

Democrats immediately criticized the Trump administration, arguing the overreach of federal officials has led to unlawful detentions and created fear in communities.

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