Boston Mayor Michelle Wu defended the whopping $650,000 legal bill the city paid to help her prepare for a Congressional hearing on sanctuary cities, saying it was necessary amid threats to put

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu stood by her decision to spend well over half a million taxpayer dollars to prepare for a congressional hearing on sanctuary city policies. Earlier in March, the mayors of Boston,

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu racked up a six-figure bill with a high-powered law firm in preparation for Wednesday’s intense congressional hearing on sanctuary cities in Washington, D.C.

Fresh off the mayor’s defense of the city’s sanctuary policies and public safety record before a Congressional oversight committee, the Boston City Council held a community-based hearing where advocates pushed for expansion of the Trust Act.

Immigrants and advocates asked Boston City Councilors on Monday to preserve and strengthen the Trust Act, the law that limits police coordination with federal immigration authorities except for on criminal investigations.

Mayor Michelle Wu “expects to pay” up to $650,000 to prepare for tomorrow’s congressional hearing on sanctuary cities, the mayor’s office told the Herald. “The prep sessions included staff from the Mayor’s Office,

The Congressional hearing is part of a federal investigation into sanctuary cities. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and the other mayors began their testimony shortly after 10 a.m. You can watch it live on CBS News Boston in the video above.