DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration has taken a significant step in distancing itself from its previous sanctuary city stance by removing a government webpage that once declared the district’s commitment to shielding illegal immigrants. The move has left many wondering if DC is preparing to change its policies on immigration enforcement.
The webpage, which had been online since 2016, outlined DC’s firm opposition to federal deportation efforts. Bowser had previously dedicated taxpayer resources to defending illegal immigrants and had insisted the city would resist any federal immigration crackdown. At the time, she positioned DC as a leader in the leftist pushback against President Donald Trump’s enforcement policies.
Now, Bowser is backtracking. She recently stated she no longer refers to DC as a sanctuary city, calling the term “misleading.” “You are vulnerable to federal immigration enforcement,” she said in a statement last month, in stark contrast to her previous rhetoric.
The removal of the page follows her recent testimony to Congress in which she signaled a willingness to comply with federal law on immigration matters. She told lawmakers that DC “will follow the law” when asked about ICE detainers — a significant departure from her past refusal to cooperate with federal agencies.
DC still has local sanctuary laws that restrict cooperation with ICE, but Bowser’s shift suggests her administration is reconsidering how aggressively it will enforce them. With crime on the rise and the city struggling to recover from economic downturns, immigration enforcement may no longer be a priority for her administration.
This policy shift follows her decision to remove Black Lives Matter Plaza, further reinforcing the idea that Bowser is attempting to pivot away from the activist-driven policies that once defined her leadership.
