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(CNN)In Boston, 48% of children have at least one parent who was born outside the United States. I identify with those kids because I was one of them. My mother and father came from Ireland to Boston looking for opportunity. They found their American Dream, and I got to live mine by becoming mayor of the city that embraced us.
My family was far from alone. In Boston, immigrants make up nearly one-third of our population. We welcome and cherish those who are fleeing persecution or simply seeking a better life. We know our success -- and our nation's success -- has always depended on the drive, talent, community and culture of newcomers.
And regarding this nonsense about a wall, let's be clear: Undocumented southern border crossings have fallen dramatically over the past eight years. A wall is a waste of money, a useless substitute for real reform and a dismal symbol of fear at a time when we need confidence.
The federal government's energy and resources should be aimed instead at solving the serious challenges we face, from healthcare to education to retirement security. Consider what's possible with the White House as our partner. In response to a challenge by former First Lady Michelle Obama, Boston has housed more than 800 homeless veterans since 2014, ending chronic veteran homelessness in our city.
Contrary to the narrative in Washington, for mayors across the country, immigration is an area of bipartisan agreement. At the United States Conference of Mayors last week, leaders from red states and blue states agreed: The actions the White House is threatening would wreak havoc on urban economies and communities.
Finally, and importantly, these measures cannot be defended by differentiating between documented and undocumented immigrants. First, we reject the cruelty of breaking up families and pulling students out of colleges. More generally, immigrant communities have long blended a variety of legal statuses, because federal immigration law has not kept up with our economy's need for talent and hard work from around the world.
What we need, and what mayors have called for over many years, is comprehensive immigration reform. If Washington continues to fail to deliver on that responsibility, cities will continue to step up. Far from ignoring the challenge, mayors are upholding America's most deeply held values every day.
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Original Post Here: Boston mayor: Why cities will protect immigrants
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