Highland moms support mayor's stance on mass deportations

DENVER (KDVR) — The group mentioned by Denver Mayor Mike Johnston in controversial comments he made about stopping possible mass deportation has responded. This comes after facing criticism from some across the country.

Many questions surround what a mass deportation effort would look like in Denver. The group at the center of the mayor's thoughts about the situation is standing by his comments.

Andrea Ryall, the Executive Director of Hope Has No Borders, is one of the moms in the Highlands Moms and Neighbors group.

"It's really terrible rhetoric but kind of the same thing that he's been saying for a long time about who immigrants are and what they stand for and it is truly the exact opposite of the experience that we've had in the last year here in Denver," Ryall said when asked about President-elect Donald Trump's plans to carry out a large mass deportation effort across the nation.

The group found themselves at the center of Johnston's comments on the president-elect's plan.

He told Denverite that he would have Denver police stationed at the county line to try to keep the military out.

"It's like the Tiananmen Square moment with the rose and the gun, right? You'd have every one of those Highlands moms who came out for the migrants. And you do not want to mess with them," said Johnston.

Ryall agreed with Johnston's message.

"Mayor Johnston is exactly right. The people of Denver and those specifically in my community, moms and neighbors and newcomers alike, we don't want to live in a world where the U.S. military is deployed on our cities to knock on doors and take away people of their choosing. That's not America and that's not the world we live in," Ryall said.

The new administration has not entered into office yet. Mayor Johnston said he had to run when we tried to ask him about the comments on Thursday. Elizabeth Jordan with the Sturm School of Law at the University of Denver, said the idea of mass deportations in the U.S. is a new concept.

"It's an unprecedented use of the U.S. Military, and in my opinion an illegal use of the U.S. Military. On the other hand, no, we have also not to my knowledge had to have police carry something like this out. There may be other examples in history that I am not aware of but these are potentially unprecedented conversations that we are having," said Jordan.

While Ryall agreed the Highlands Moms would stand on the frontlines to protect newcomers, she acknowledged that's not the viewpoint of everyone in Denver.

"The election shows 50/50 is about where we land. Some of us see a human being in front of us, maybe who looks very different than us but who we share a lot in common with and acts in compassion and empathy. And the other half of our society needs to just have that experience face to face with another human being," Ryall said.

Mayor Johnston's team sent a statement clarifying his thoughts on the mass deportation proposal Thursday night.

"In Denver, we respect the law and enforce it without fear or favor across every inch of our city. If Donald Trump tries to break the law and abuse his power, he will get no help from us," said Mayor Mike Johnston. “Denver is proud to be a welcoming city, and we will do everything in our power to protect those who live here. We are considering a number of options to strengthen protections for all our residents, and we continue to provide education about the rights of our immigrant community so they can best protect themselves from any unlawful actions.”