Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky warned that Denver Mayor Mike Johnston could face legal repercussions over his opposition to President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed mass deportations of immigrants unlawfully staying in the U.S.

Johnston is one of several mayors who have stated they will not assist the incoming Trump administration with its deportation plan. Johnston said Denver would “continue to be a welcoming, open, big-hearted city.”

Paul, who has expressed criticism of Trump’s plan to use the Army to carry out his deportation plan, warned the mayor that his resistance could be taken to the U.S. Supreme Court, where he could potentially be removed from office.

“I don’t know whether or not there would be a criminal prosecution for someone resisting federal law, but he will lose, and people need to realize that what he is offering is a form of insurrection where the states resist the federal government,” Paul said on CBS News’s Face the Nation. “Most people objected to that and rejected that long ago. So, I think the mayor of Denver is on the wrong side of history, and really, I think, will face legal ramifications if he doesn’t obey the federal law.”

As for how Trump could implement its deportation plan, Paul suggested he instead utilizes the FBI, the Border Patrol, or the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He also said using the Army is unlawful for this plan, and that there is “a better way” to carry it out.

Earlier this week, Paul warned against using the military to deport immigrants because it would be a “terrible image,” as well as being illegal “for over 100 years to bring the Army into our cities.”

When asked if he would oppose voting to confirm South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as Trump’s secretary of homeland security, Paul reiterated that he would not vote to use the nation’s military for a roundup.

Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas warned Democratic lawmakers planning to oppose Trump’s mass deportations that they risk further losses at the ballot box, suggesting the party is “doubling down” on why it lost the presidential election. He added that voters are “angry” about how much illegal immigration is affecting the nation, and that voters have demanded for their government to take a stand against it.

Johnston’s office did not immediately return a request for comment.

The mayor had walked back comments about deploying the city’s police forces at the county line to keep out federal forces carrying out President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to deport thousands of immigrants unlawfully staying in the city.

“Would I have taken it back if I could? Yes, I probably wouldn’t have used that image,” Johnston told 9News in an interview. “That’s the image I hope we can avoid. What I was trying to say is this is an outcome I hope we can avoid in this country. I think none of us want that.”

Johnston had drawn parallels to Tiananmen Square in an interview with Denverite, saying he believes city residents themselves, alongside the city’s police force, would resist a mass deportation campaign. He suggested using the Denver police against federal agents.

“More than us having DPD stationed at the county line to keep them out, you would have 50,000 Denverites there,” Johnston told Denverite. “It’s like the Tiananmen Square moment with the rose and the gun, right? You’d have every one of those Highland moms who came out for the migrants. And you do not want to mess with them.”

In the 9News interview, Johnston said he would protest himself.  

“I would if I believed that our residents are having their rights violated,” Johnston said. “I think things are happening that are illegal or immoral or un-American in our city, I would certainly protest it, and I would expect other residents would do the same.”

As for the possibility of getting arrested, Johnston said, “Yeah, I’m not afraid of that, and I’m also not seeking that. I think the goal is we want to be able to negotiate with reasonable people how to solve hard problems.”

Johnston told 9News he does not oppose all deportations, particularly immigrants who have committed violent crimes. But, he said, immigrants unlawfully staying in the U.S. who have not committed crimes should not be swept up.   

Johnston has been defending Denver’s response to the illegal immigration crisis, which has cost taxpayers more than $75 million to date. Colorado and Denver are both “sanctuary” jurisdictions. 

No legal definition of a “sanctuary” city or state exists, but, broadly speaking, it refers to a community that expressly refuses to cooperate with federal authorities on enforcing immigration laws. Back in 2019, Colorado adopted a law whose provisions fall under the broad outlines of what constitutes a “sanctuary” state. Several Colorado counties have sued the state over the law.  

The Denver Gazette contributed to this article.