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Under the law, Boston police cannot cooperate with ICE agents who attempt to deport migrants based solely on their immigration status.

Mayor of Boston Michelle Wu is beginning to publicly address how the city might respond to President-elect Donald Trump’s demands. plans to carry out mass expulsions of undocumented migrants.

In several recent media appearances, she has stressed that city resources and personnel, including local police, should not cooperate with federal agents who attempt to arrest migrants based on arrest warrants. civil arrest.

“The idea that some local law enforcement agencies will be required, or expected, to participate in mass evictions of residents who have not engaged in serious criminal activity simply to fulfill this campaign promise n This is not something that is possible under the bill. laws in Boston,” Wu said last week on GBH.Boston Public Radio.”

Trump’s promises to oversee mass deportations were central to his campaign. Today, everything indicates that he will keep his promises immediately after taking office in January. On Monday, Trump said on social media that he was preparing to declare a national emergency and use us army carry out evictions.

Blue state leaders are bracing for Trump’s plans. Gov. Maura Healey said this month that her administration would not cooperate with federal authorities seeking to carry out mass evictions.

In Boston, a existing law prohibits Boston police officers from coordinating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in a number of scenarios. Asked about the possibility of federal agents carrying out mass evictions of Boston residents without help from local law enforcement, Wu said on GBH that her administration was actively planning for a number of different scenarios. She said the federal government could face staffing and other logistical problems if it tries to follow through on Trump’s promises. Some of these promises rely on the full cooperation of local agencies, Wu said.

“In places where that’s not the case…we still have other mechanisms where we can identify spaces that might be most targeted and think about protections there,” Wu said on GBH.

The researchers estimate that Trump’s plans could cost more than $300 billion, exacerbate labor shortages and require the hiring of hundreds of thousands of new government and law enforcement employees.

During an appearance on WCVB”On disk» On Sunday, Wu pushed back against misconceptions about “sanctuary cities.” Sometimes this term refers to a place that grants immunity to migrants even if they have committed serious criminal acts. This is not the case in Boston, where local police can work with ICE “on issues of high public safety importance, such as human trafficking, child exploitation, human trafficking drugs and weapons and cybercrime.

Wu acknowledged that the city’s resources have been strained due to the recent influx of new migrants. That surge, combined with an ongoing housing crisis, has overwhelmed shelters across the state for more than a year. In Boston, municipal shelters for individuals have been as full as they normally are during the colder winter months, she said.

At the start of the year, Melnea A. Cass Recreation Complex in Roxbury was used to house families in need of shelter for about four months before reopening to the public. Many residents disapproved of the decision, saying it was unfair to residents who rely on the recreation center. Wu has said publicly that she plans to run for a second term next year, and her response to Trump’s plans could play an important role in that race.

There are limits to what that response could include, and no city can override parts of the federal government’s program, Wu said.

“What we can do is make sure that we are doing our part to protect our residents in every way possible, and that we are not cooperating with these efforts that actually threaten everyone’s safety by causing widespread fear and having a large-scale economic impact. ” she said.

Even if logistical or legal problems hamper Trump’s eviction plans, residents may be afraid of local government and reluctant to contact local officials for help on any matter, Wu said. She wants increase direct contact with residents, ensuring they are not afraid to contact the city or request services.

When the Trump administration begins implementing its plans next year, resistance from blue states and cities will inevitably receive media coverage, and Trump frequently promises to attack “the enemies within.” Wu was asked Monday about the possibility that Boston was targeted by the federal government in an unrelated event.

“Our city is always held up as a national example of what is possible. Historically, this can be used to try to tear down what it means for a community to be welcoming to all, but it is also even more important now to provide evidence that government is working well,” he said. she declared.