Trump Considers Sending Illegal Immigrants to Sanctuary Cities

April 12, 2019, 4:23 PM

FILE - President Donald Trump speaks about sanctuary cities with law enforcement officers in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, in Washington, March 20, 2018. On April 12, 2019, Trump said he was considering sending detained illegal migrants to sanctuary cities. — FILE – President Donald Trump speaks about sanctuary cities with law enforcement officers in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, in Washington, March 20, 2018. On April 12, 2019, Trump said he was considering sending detained illegal migrants to sanctuary cities.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he was considering sending detained illegal migrants to so-called sanctuary cities, which oppose his tough immigration policies.
Trump made the announcement hours after White House and Homeland Security officials insisted the idea had been rejected.
He told reporters at the White House that his administration was "strongly looking at the possibly."
Earlier Friday, he tweeted, "Due to the fact that Democrats are unwilling to change our very dangerous immigration laws, we are indeed, as reported, giving strong considerations to placing Illegal Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities."
"The Radical Left always seems to have an Open Borders, Open Arms policy — so this should make them very happy!" he added.
Sanctuary cities are local jurisdictions — often run by Democrats — that have refused to hand over illegal immigrants to federal authorities for possible deportation.

FILE - In this June 20, 2018, photo, protesters demonstrate outside the federal courthouse in Sacramento, Calif., where a judge heard arguments over the U.S. Justice Department's request to block three California laws that extend protections to people in the country illegally. Sacramento is a sanctuary city. — FILE – In this June 20, 2018, photo, protesters demonstrate outside the federal courthouse in Sacramento, Calif., where a judge heard arguments over the U.S. Justice Department's request to block three California laws that extend protections to people in the country illegally. Sacramento is a sanctuary city.

The White House proposal to send undocumented immigrants to sanctuary cities was first reported by The Washington Post.

Sending a message
According to the Post, the White House told Immigration and Customs Enforcement that the plan would alleviate a shortage of detention space, as well as send a message to Democrats.
The Post said a White House official and a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security said the proposal was no longer under consideration.
Revelation of the proposal drew criticism from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as well as other Democrats.
In remarks to reporters Friday, Pelosi called the idea "unworthy of the presidency of the United States and disrespectful of the challenges that we face as a country, as a people, to address who we are — a nation of immigrants."
Pelosi's hometown of San Francisco is a sanctuary city.

Original Article