Marty Walsh Gets in Heated Argument with WEEI Hosts over Sanctuary City Plan

Photo via Mayor’s Office/Isabel Leon

Mayor Marty Walsh earned plaudits Wednesday after he announced he was prepared to shelter undocumented immigrants inside City Hall, in response to President Donald Trump’s forthcoming executive order to strip federal funding from so-called “sanctuary cities.”

Walsh joined WEEI’s Kirk & Callahan Thursday morning after hosts Gerry Callahan and Kirk Minihane panned his announcement. When Callahan pressed him on whether he would harbor in City Hall an illegal alien convicted of drunk driving, Walsh maintained that his plan was more likely to protect foreign-born children brought into the country by their parents.

“So what you’re telling us is, what you said last night is, only children will be allowed to sleep in your office, like you said, in City Hall?” Minihane said.

“Don’t be a wise guy about it,” Walsh snapped.

MINIHANE: But you said not adults, you said children like Bryan, the seven-year-old. What you said was, ‘If people want to live here, they’ll live here.’ This is your words, not mine. [crosstalk] ‘They can use my office. They can use any office in the building.’ Hold on. ‘Any place they want to use. They’ll be able to use this building as a safe space.’ Who are ‘they’? Who are ‘they’?

WALSH: Anybody who—depending on what the actions of Washington are, we’ll see what happens, and the actions of Washington will be the first step of many.

MINIHANE: But who are ‘they’ though? When you say ‘they,’ who are ‘they’?

WALSH: Kids who are here, brought my their parents. [crosstalk]

MINIHANE: Right, so I’m not being a wise-guy. You just said kids, I’m saying kids.

WALSH: No, you are. You are being a wise guy.

MINIHANE: How? You just said kids and I said kids, how am I being a wise guy?

WALSH: Because of the way you’re framing it all here.

MINIHANE: Framing what?! You said kids and I said kids.

WALSH: What are you yelling for? I’m not yelling at you. What are you getting so mad about?

You can listen to the full interview here.