Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson says city will 'stand by' Trump deportation plans
DALLAS - Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson says the city will "stand by" President-elect Donald Trump with his deportation plans for violent criminals who are in the country illegally.
In an interview with FOX Business last week, Johnson said that migrants are a strain on the city's resources, including the schools and hospital system.
When asked if the city would support deportations, Johnson said he would.
"Of course we would support that. Of course we would stand by President Trump and an effort to get rid of people in our country illegally who have violent criminal records or who commit violent criminal acts here," said Johnson.
The mayor criticized the hidden costs of the border crisis.
"We need to shut that down," Johnson said.
The city of Dallas released a statement in response to Johnson's comments: "The City of Dallas will not speculate on federal immigration policies of the incoming administration. We are focused on what is within our jurisdiction and addressing the concerns of the communities we serve by continuing to be responsive, accountable, and transparent to build ongoing trust."
Johnson switched to the Republican Party in 2023 after he was reelected. He previously served as a Democrat in the Texas House.
"The Democrat Party at that point should have gotten the wake up call. They should have figured out if the mayor of the 9th largest city in America, who is African-American, male, switched parties that maybe we have a problem," Johnson told FOX Business.
Johnson says the results of the 2024 election show that he was not an anomaly and that many African-Americans are thinking along the same lines.
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The mayoral position is not partisan, but Johnson has not shied away from his role in his new party.
Johnson, the only Republican mayor of the nation's 10 largest cities, spoke at the Republican National Convention this summer.
Johnson's term as mayor ends in 2027.
In 2023, he said he was not planning to run for another office after his term comes to an end.