Bowser Quietly Backs Off DC’s Sanctuary City Pledge Amid Growing Pressure

Washington, D.C.’s government has quietly removed its sanctuary city webpage, marking a dramatic shift from Mayor Muriel Bowser’s earlier stance on illegal immigration. The removal comes as the city faces growing economic challenges and increasing scrutiny over sanctuary policies.

Since 2016, D.C. had positioned itself as a stronghold of resistance against federal immigration enforcement. Bowser famously declared D.C. was “doubling down” as a sanctuary city, directing taxpayer dollars to legal defense programs for illegal immigrants and aligning the city with other left-leaning urban centers resisting President Donald Trump’s policies.

Now, Bowser is backing away from that rhetoric. She recently told reporters that she no longer uses the phrase “sanctuary city,” calling it misleading. “It’s misleading to suggest to anyone that if you’re violating immigration laws, that this is a place where you can violate immigration laws,” she said, acknowledging that illegal immigrants remain subject to federal enforcement.

This retreat coincides with Bowser’s shifting priorities as she grapples with the fallout from federal job cuts affecting the D.C. economy. Her administration has begun emphasizing economic recovery and public safety rather than ideological fights over immigration policy.

While D.C. still has a local law restricting cooperation with ICE, Bowser has given no indication of how aggressively she plans to enforce it. When questioned in December, she stated the city would “follow the law” when dealing with ICE detainers — far from the defiant stance she once took.

With her administration facing mounting challenges, Bowser’s decision to step back from her sanctuary city commitments suggests a political calculation — one that acknowledges the growing costs of open-border policies.