Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s comments about resisting President-elect Donald Trump’s deportation plans have been criticized by The Denver Post editorial board.
Johnston, a Democrat, warned in an interview with Denverite last month that the Trump administration’s efforts to enforce immigration policies in Denver could lead to a “Tiananmen Square moment.” This referred to the 1989 pro-democracy protests in Beijing, where the Chinese military killed hundreds or possibly thousands of protesters.
The mayor also suggested that local police might block federal immigration officers from entering the city. However, Johnston later clarified his statement during an interview with NBC affiliate KUSA on November 22. He said he had “no plan” for armed conflict but encouraged locals to protest deportations and expressed his willingness to be arrested as part of such demonstrations.
In an opinion piece published on Monday, The Denver Post editorial board criticized Johnston, saying it was wrong to threaten armed conflict to protect immigrants. The board accused him of using reckless rhetoric on immigration.
The article acknowledged Johnston’s long history of working to protect migrants, especially “Dreamers” (young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children), but argued that opposing Trump’s deportation plans should involve a strategy of “smart resistance” rather than inflammatory statements.
The editorial concluded by saying that if Americans want to protect immigrants from deportation, they should uphold the “moral high ground.”
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