Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) pressed a Democratic witness on Wednesday about the safety of Baltimore, Maryland, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing about sanctuary cities.
Neill Franklin, the Democrats’ witness and a Baltimore native who worked in law enforcement, had stated that while he believes border security is important, that does not mean local police should work with federal agencies to help arrest illegal immigrants.
Gill asked Franklin if he would call Baltimore a safe city.
‘It’s what you feel as a resident.’
“What’s your definition of safe?” Franklin asked. “I grew up in Baltimore. My family is still in Baltimore. My mother still lives in the same house in West Baltimore for 60-plus years, so the answer is definitely yes.”
When Gill asked again if the city is safe, Franklin replied, “Of course it is!”
“Do you know what the homicide rate is in Baltimore?” Gill asked. Franklin said he did not know, to which Gill revealed the city has a murder rate that is five times higher than the national average. The city’s robbery rate is eight times higher, and the assault rate is three times higher than the national average.
“Does that sound like a safe city to you?” Gill asked again.
“It’s safe to me and my family members,” Franklin insisted, adding it’s also based on “perception. It’s what you feel as a resident.”
“If you’re murdered, I don’t think it matters what you feel. Do you? Is it your testimony that safety depends on how people feel?” Gill replied.
“To me, Baltimore city is a safe city,” Franklin repeated.
“I don’t think it’s safe to the people who are being murdered every single weekend there,” Gill concluded.
Baltimore reported 201 homicides for 2024, 60 fewer homicides than in 2023. For March of this year, there were 12 murders and 34 non-fatal shootings.
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