DENVER — On Monday, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston outlined his goals for the city in 2026, which included safety, affordability, and climate resilience.

However, before Johnston dove into what he wants to see in Denver this year, he addressed rising community fears sparked by two deadly federal enforcement encounters in Minneapolis, vowing to protect residents if ICE were to target Colorado.

“This last weekend — which I know has been a hard one for many residents of Denver — I think, not just watching the heartbreak for Minneapolis, but the uncertainty and the fear that we know settles in members of our community across the city who are worried about what happens if they too are targeted, or if they too stand up to support neighbors who are at risk,” Johnston said at the start of the press conference.

On Saturday morning, federal agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. It’s the second deadly encounter between federal agents and civilians in Minnesota this month, after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was killed on Jan. 7.

While walking through La Alma-Lincoln Park — an area Johnston said highlights the work the city has done to address gun violence and support individuals living on the street — the mayor did not shy away from questions about what he would do if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cracked down on Colorado next.

Johnston said the city has a three-pronged plan, which begins with prevention.

“We’ve worked really hard to make this the city that has the largest reduction in homicides of any city in the country. The largest reduction of homelessness of any city in the country. A city that has very successfully brought more migrants than any other city per capita, and helped them connect to services where they’re not struggling on the streets. We think that helps make the case there is no need for any federal engagement here,” Johnston said.

In addition, the Denver Mayor said the city is prepared to sue the federal government when it believes policies are unconstitutional and that community partners are critical in ensuring residents know their rights.

“This police department has done an incredible job of both protecting people’s right to be heard — to have their First Amendment rights heard, we love that people protest and speak out whenever they want to — this team has kept them safe to do that without conflicts or violence. And so, we think that’s also been a helpful part of the context that the city has created,” said Johnston.

Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas also addressed the crowd on Monday, saying their focus is on safety, but also on creating a welcoming city.

“We want to make sure that those immigrants, those newcomers to our communities, feel safe, feel comfortable reporting crimes to us. We think that is a part of safety as well,” Thomas said. “At the same time, we want to make sure that people feel comfortable exercising their First Amendment rights. We feel like we do a very good job of managing those demonstrations, those large demonstrations that happen quite frequently in our city, particularly around the Capitol. And so I think that being able to manage those safely, without chaos, I think is going to go a long way towards making sure that we don’t have an infiltration of federal law enforcement.”

Denver7 asked Mayor Mike Johnston if he would be as vocal as the Minneapolis Mayor if ICE came to Denver next.

“Absolutely. I mean, my top priority is to protect every resident of this city, and I am heartbroken and furious about what’s happening in Minneapolis, and it’s not even my city,” Johnston said. “I would want ICE out of my city as quickly as he would — because what he said, and we know — is that it does not make the city safer, and there are dead Americans to prove that over the last week. So, I feel equally as strongly as he does, and I would support him or any other mayor as much as I would expect them to support us if the situation were different.”

Johnston said he does not fear backlash for comments about federal immigration enforcement.

“My job is to protect all our residents, and to be clear that they know we will have their back and support them,” Johnston said. “To expect that the federal government will follow the law and follow the Constitution, I don’t think that’s a risky thing to say.”

More than 150 flights were canceled or delayed at Denver International Airport on Monday as frigid temperatures and snowstorms continued across the country.

Denver weather: Cold weather advisory in effect for metro area

As of 9:35 a.m., 90 flights headed in and out of DIA had been delayed and 84 had been cancelled, according to flight-tracking software FlightAware.

More than 1,100 delays and 480 cancellations were recorded at the Denver airport over the weekend as a winter storm hit the United States, according to FlightAware.

Monday morning flight delays and cancellations included:

• Air Canada: One flight canceled, one delayed
• American Airlines: Seven flights canceled, four delayed
• Delta Airlines: Four flights canceled, six delayed
• Frontier: Zero flights canceled, three delayed
• JetBlue: Four flights canceled, one delayed
• SkyWest: 30 flights canceled, 13 delayed
• Southwest: 16 flights canceled, 33 delayed
• United: 22 flights canceled, 24 flights delayed

With the Broncos eliminated from the postseason, teams can now have in-person interviews and hire coaches from their staff. While many believed defensive coordinator Vance Joseph would be highly sought after, Broncos passing game coordinator/QB coach Davis Webb is the one teams are eager to interview.

According to ESPN’s lead NFL insider, Adam Schefter, the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to meet this week with Davis Webb regarding their head coaching vacancy. He adds that the Buffalo Bills also want to meet with Webb, but had to wait until the Broncos’ season was over. With their loss to the Patriots, the Bills are now free to interview Webb for their head coaching vacancy as well.

League insider Jordan Schultz is also reporting that Webb is considered a “strong candidate” for the Las Vegas Raiders head coaching job.

The Raiders could be an intriguing job for Davis Webb. They have the number one overall pick, which they are expected to use on Heisman and National Championship-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, and they also have tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty. Webb would be able to work with a top prospect and develop him as he did with Broncos quarterback Bo Nix and build an offense around Bowers and Jeanty.

As for the Bills, the draw is obvious. He would have reigning MVP Josh Allen as his quarterback, and the two already have a great relationship. Webb could get the most out of Allen and build a strong offense for him with the hopes of finally reaching and winning a Super Bowl.

Davis Webb is a former third-round selection by the New York Giants in the 2017 NFL Draft. He would play for the Giants, Jets, and Bills during his playing career before retiring after the 2022 season. After retiring, he would jump right into coaching and be hired by newly hired Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton to be his quarterbacks coach.

Sean Payton was so impressed by Webb’s interview that he had the car taking Webb to the airport turn around so he could hire him on the spot. Webb quickly became a beloved and highly thought of coach for the Broncos and is a big reason for quarterback Bo Nix’s development these past two seasons. The Broncos believe he is a future head coach in the making, and now, he appears to be a strong candidate for the Raiders and possibly the Bills’ head coaching job.

As for defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, all has gone silent. He has been the odds-on favorite to be the next Arizona Cardinals head coach, but recent reports have the team looking elsewhere. With Joseph eligible to interview in person, we will have to see if he has a sit down the Cardinals in the coming days.