Wu calls border czar's promise to 'bring hell' to Boston mere 'bluster'

Boston's relationship with the Trump administration is off to a nasty start.

“I'm coming to Boston. I'm bringing hell with me,” said Trump’s border czar Tom Homan at a conservative conference over the weekend.

He says the Boston police are derelict in their duty on immigration enforcement.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu joined WBUR’s Morning Edition to discuss her upcoming appearance before the House Oversight Committee as well as a few things closer to home, including the demolition of White Stadium and priorities for the city in 2025.

Highlights from this interview have been lightly edited for clarity.

On Trump administration border czar Tom Homan’s talk of “bringing hell” to Boston:

“There's a difference between bluster and legal authority. We've been clear for many weeks at this point, I keep saying, Boston follows the laws. We are going to keep doing what we do because we are in full compliance with the laws, which say that municipal officials and municipal police departments have authority over enforcing crimes at the local level in keeping everyone in their community safe. Immigration falls under the federal government and federal officials. It is not the purview of city officials to be involved in doing the job of the federal government and it’s not the federal government’s job to what should happen at the local level either.”

On what she’s planning to tell the House Oversight Committee when she testifies before them about Boston’s immigration policies on March 5:

“ I plan to share about the incredible work that's been happening in Boston. The city's safety levels, and the level of trust and coordination, has never been higher. That is backed up by hard work every single day in the community and throughout all levels of government here.

“I intend to talk about how we do collaborate every single day with all different agencies in keeping our residents safe, and I also hope to share some of the stories as well of the real people who these policies can erase.

On whether she felt compelled to appear before Congress despite not being subpoenaed:

“It was a very strong implication and rounds of communication that the committee had the power to subpoena, as well, and could use it.

“For me, it was much more about timing than anything else. We received the letter just maybe two weeks after [my daughter] Mira was born, and I think the original date on the invitation was for another week or two after that, so my biggest ask of the committee was to just give a little bit more space because even the process of physically healing from delivering a baby can be quite intense. And so, we’ve now gotten past the period where I feel much better about my ability to walk around and physically sit in that seat for several hours, and the baby is still nursing, and we will figure out those logistics as well when we get there, but getting past the six week mark for physical recovery was a welcome shift and accommodation, so I appreciated that very much.”

On how she’ll balance appearing before Congress while caring for a newborn:

“ It’s a whole extra layer of coordination, which I think many working parents — especially working moms — are familiar with. … I'm trying to think about what I will wear – how to be in that setting and be able to have nursing-friendly attire on. We're working with the committee on what that means logistically in terms of how to set aside time so I can run back and feed her, and where my husband will be with the baby while we’re in the hearing room

“You know, if you want something done, you give it to a busy person. If you want something to be focused on, there's no one who knows how to multitask better than working moms.

On whether the demolition of White Stadium in Franklin Park is inevitable, given that work continues even as a lawsuit challenging Wu’s plan has yet to be sorted out in court:

“Yes. The public process lasted nearly two years and the project was very much changed and updated and amended to reflect the public feedback that we heard on all the different needs of community members. All along the way, the timeframe was that once the process concluded and all of the various regulatory agencies had their meetings, done their vetting and given approvals, there would be a lease negotiated and once that lease was signed, things would move forward.

“At this point, we have the signed lease, we are moving forward and the lease itself includes protections for various scenarios that we hope might not come to pass but that would ensure the city and the public are protected against any risks to the project.”

 On the most important thing to accomplish this year in order to earn a re-election:

“For Boston to be home for everyone, we need to be the safest city, the greenest city, and the most family-friendly city. And so, on safety, it is continuing to ensure that we're improving every single day. I know that as we have been making real strides on violence, we really need to also have the resources now to focus on what is sometimes called petty crimes … there's been a partnership between the city and the police department and the district attorney's office on shoplifting.

“There are ongoing challenges when it comes to the opiate crisis that we really this year are going to begin implementing the next step in all of the infrastructure that's been built up and delivering on connecting people to resources so that everyone can be safe. That's going to be a big focus in 2025 as well.”