Days after Webb addressed “sanctuary city” falsehood on Boyles' show, Boyles repeated the claim
Written by Media Matters Staff
Published
Just days after finally allowing former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb on his show to challenge the false claim that Denver is a “sanctuary city” for illegal mmigrants, 630 KHOW-AM host Peter Boyles repeated the falsehood again -- several times during one broadcast.
Four days after 630 KHOW-AM host Peter Boyles finally allowed former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb to correct Boyles' repeated falsehood that Denver is a so-called “sanctuary city” for illegal immigrants, Boyles made the false claim yet again -- this time on his April 20 show.
As Colorado Media Matters noted, Boyles interviewed Webb on his April 16 show and asked him to address the city's purported “sanctuary” policy, which Boyles accused him of initiating in 1998 when he issued Executive Order 116 regarding immigration. Webb explained that the order did not establish a sanctuary policy, but rather stated a clear message that “we're not going to be harassing Mexicans just because they're Mexican.” When Webb asked Boyles, "[D]id you find 'sanctuary city' in there [Executive Order 116]?" Boyles replied, “No, sir, I did not.”
Despite making that concession, Boyles continued to repeat his sanctuary claim during his April 20 broadcast, facetiously stating that “of course, [Denver] is not a sanctuary city” and claiming that “sanctuary policy” is “a rose by any other name.”
From the April 20 broadcast of 630 KHOW-AM's The Peter Boyles Show:
BOYLES: Locally, I know we're not a sanctuary city, but now public works employees can no longer use the words “illegal alien.” Newspeak, new think, new thought. “Public works will not use the term in any verbal references, including council meetings, committee meetings. It will be our immediate policy to begin using the term 'unauthorized immigrant.' ” That's the God's truth. But, of course, this is not a sanctuary city. All we have to do is listen to the mayor, listen to the other people that tell you you're not. Let's go over a checklist. Remember Mayor Webb the other -- this week on the show said, “Ah we're not a sanctuary city.” But he said we will accept matricula cards. Isn't that that same mayor? And they're still accepted, I think; are they not? Issued by a foreign government to people illegally in this country. And Mayor Webb said, “OK, sure, fine. We'll take their ID. We're not sanctuary. We'll build a place for illegals to go to where people can come and hire them. But we're not sanctuary.” [Former Denver Manager of Safety] “Butch” Montoya jacks officer Vinh Tran about takin' a guy in who's an illegal. So, if the law enforcement people are instructed not to ask about people's immigration status, or rather to even enforce federal immigration laws, I'm sure -- naw, that can't be, we're not sanctuary. So, what is sanctuary policy? It's a rose by any other name. And now comes this: The mayor of the city, John Hickenlooper, said we're not sanctuary and the buck doesn't stop here. So, if you have sanctuary policies that reward illegal aliens with taxpayer-funded day labor sites, help illegals find illegal employment, policies that prohibit police officers from inquiring about individuals' immigration status and not cooperating with federal immigration authorities, and now we have the Newspeak of saying you can't use the term “illegal” or “illegal alien,” but now you must call them “unauthorized immigrants.” Now, why would I think that?
In claiming that the city's “acceptance of matricula cards” -- which are issued by the Mexican government to Mexican citizens living in the United States -- indicates Denver is a sanctuary city, Boyles ignored news reports. The Rocky Mountain News stated in an October 24, 2006, article that "[i]n 2003, the Colorado legislature passed a law forbidding state and local governments from accepting the [matricula consular] cards as identification." Colorado Media Matters also repeatedly has noted that, according to former Denver City Attorney Cole Finegan, Colorado statute, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, Denver is not a sanctuary city.
Furthermore, conservative Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly -- whose nationally syndicated radio show airs from 6 to 8 p.m. daily on KHOW -- maintains a list of U.S. “cities and counties that have sanctuary policies” on his website. Denver is not among them.