Boston Mayor Marty Walsh on Tuesday defended so-called "sanctuary cities," including Boston, during an appearance on the "The Daily Show."
Walsh, who taped the show after attending the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl victory parade, told host Trevor Noah that President Donald Trump’s actions on sanctuary cities have been wrongheaded.
"We are a city and a country founded by immigrants," Walsh said. "Criminalizing immigrants ... is the wrong way to go."
Walsh has been critical of Trump’s executive order to strip sanctuary cities of federal funding.
He said many children in the Boston Public Schools were scared by rhetoric during the election campaign about immigration.
"If Washington truly wants to deal with fixing immigration, then let’s fix immigration," he said. "Let’s get together, Republicans and Democrats, and try and come up with reform to fix the immigration problem. I think that’s the way to do it."
Meanwhile, Walsh explained why some around the nation may not be thrilled about the Patriots’ Super Bowl win.
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"I think it’s because it’s number five (championships), and the whole country hates us. And they hate Tom Brady. They think he’s really handsome, but they hate him," he said.