Trump's border czar threatens jail for Denver mayor over mass deportations

Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Incoming border czar Tom Homan says he is willing to send Denver Mayor Mike Johnston to jail if he follows through with threats to use Denver police to block deportations.

"Me and the Denver mayor, we agree on one thing," Homan told Fox News host Sean Hannity Monday night. "He's willing to go to jail [and] I'm willing to put him in jail."

Homan said federal law makes it a felony to knowingly harbor and conceal an undocumented migrant from immigration authorities and it's a felony to interfere with the duties of a federal law enforcement officer.

Homan is President-elect Donald Trump's nomination as director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and would be in charge of deporting undocumented migrants who illegally entered the United States.

Some state and local officials, such as the Denver mayor, have said they'll resist deportation efforts.

Johnston on Wednesday told the Denverite news outlet he would protect undocumented migrants against federal efforts to deport them.

Johnston said he doesn't believe Colorado Gov. Jared Polis would call up the Colorado National Guard to assist with federal deportations and mobilizing Guardsmen from other states to "invade Colorado" would be unlikely.

"More than us having [the Denver Police Department] stationed at the county line to keep them out, you would have 50,000 Denverites there," Johnston said. "You'd have every one of those Highland moms who came out for the migrants, and you do not want to mess with them."

When informed of Homan's comments about jailing him, Johnston on Tuesday told The Hill Denver officials won't help Trump "break the law and abuse his power" and would "do everything in our power to protect those who live here."

During the interview with Hannity, Homan said Trump has a "mandate from the American people."

"We gotta secure this country," Homan said. "We gotta save American lives."

When asked if ICE would go into resisting states and cities to uphold federal law no matter what respective local leaders say or do, Homan said they will "enforce the law."

"They're not gonna stop us," Homan said.