Donald Trump has confirmed he is considering placing undocumented migrants only in “sanctuary cities”, in an apparent attempt to create problems for Democratic politicians.
This week it was reported that White House officials had considered the plan to release migrants detained at the border into cities such as San Francisco, to retaliate against the president’s critics.
The Washington Post, which obtained internal emails that showed officials at the department of homeland security discussing the idea, revealed the issue was raised at least twice in the last six months.
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Sanctuary cities are those where local officials decline to hand over illegal immigrants for deportation, the newspaper pointed out, and are invariably controlled by Democratic legislators.
The report said the legal department of the country’s immigration and customs enforcement agency, often referred to as ICE, had rejected the proposal.
Shape Created with Sketch. Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border Show all 23 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Migrants clash with authorities as they seek to cross the US border 1/23 A group of migrants climb the US border fence in Tijuana AFP/Getty 2/23 A group of migrants cross the dried up Tijuana river AFP/Getty 3/23 Mexico police emerge from a cloud of tear gas Reuters 4/23 Mexico police work to keep migrants from getting over the border with the US AP 5/23 US border patrol agents stand guard as migrant seek to cross the border at Tijuana Reuters 6/23 Adults help a child over the US border fence AFP/Getty 7/23 Migrants near the US border in Tijuana Reuters 8/23 Migrants climb the US border fence in Tijuana AFP/Getty 9/23 Migrants clash with riot police as they near the US border in Tijuana Reuters 10/23 A migrant is detained by US border patrol officers after illegally crossing the border Reuters 11/23 A group of migrants cross the dried up Tijuana river Reuters 12/23 Tear gas is deployed at the border Reuters 13/23 A group of migrants make their way to the US border fence Reuters 14/23 A migrant man wears a homemade gas mask Reuters 15/23 Migrants stand on the banks of the Tijuana river opposite the US border fence Reuters 16/23 A group of migrants cross the Tijuana river Reuters 17/23 Migrants gather at the border crossing in Tijuana AP 18/23 Tear gas is fired by border police to deter migrants EPA 19/23 A migrant covers his face as tear gas surrounds him Reuters 20/23 Migrant families seek to cross the US border at Tijuana Reuters 21/23 Mexico police try to stop migrants from crossing Reuters 22/23 Migrants force their way through the border fence at Tijuana Reuters 23/23 Reuters 1/23 A group of migrants climb the US border fence in Tijuana AFP/Getty 2/23 A group of migrants cross the dried up Tijuana river AFP/Getty 3/23 Mexico police emerge from a cloud of tear gas Reuters 4/23 Mexico police work to keep migrants from getting over the border with the US AP 5/23 US border patrol agents stand guard as migrant seek to cross the border at Tijuana Reuters 6/23 Adults help a child over the US border fence AFP/Getty 7/23 Migrants near the US border in Tijuana Reuters 8/23 Migrants climb the US border fence in Tijuana AFP/Getty 9/23 Migrants clash with riot police as they near the US border in Tijuana Reuters 10/23 A migrant is detained by US border patrol officers after illegally crossing the border Reuters 11/23 A group of migrants cross the dried up Tijuana river Reuters 12/23 Tear gas is deployed at the border Reuters 13/23 A group of migrants make their way to the US border fence Reuters 14/23 A migrant man wears a homemade gas mask Reuters 15/23 Migrants stand on the banks of the Tijuana river opposite the US border fence Reuters 16/23 A group of migrants cross the Tijuana river Reuters 17/23 Migrants gather at the border crossing in Tijuana AP 18/23 Tear gas is fired by border police to deter migrants EPA 19/23 A migrant covers his face as tear gas surrounds him Reuters 20/23 Migrant families seek to cross the US border at Tijuana Reuters 21/23 Mexico police try to stop migrants from crossing Reuters 22/23 Migrants force their way through the border fence at Tijuana Reuters 23/23 Reuters
However on Friday, Mr Trump claimed the idea was still being given strong consideration.
“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 only,” he tweeted.
He added: “The radical left always seems to have an open borders, open arms policy – so this should make them very happy!”
Mr Trump’s tweet appeared to catch his staff by surprise. Abby Phillip, a White House reporter for CNN, wrote on Twitter that “the White House JUST put out a statement saying the policy was no longer being considered”. She added: “Trump is now saying the opposite.”
Later, speaking at the White House during an event on 5G, the president claimed he was being serious.
“We are looking at he possibility, strongly looking at it to be honest with you,” he said, saying he could give give California an “unlimited supply” of immigrants.
“If they don’t agree we night as well do what they say they want....we’ll bring them to sanctuary city areas and let that particular area take care of it.”
Reuters said the administration considered the plan in November last year as a caravan, made up mostly of migrants from Central American countries, travelled through Mexico towards the southern US border. The proposal emerged again in February during a standoff with Democrats over funding as the president sought to build a wall on the border, one of the signature issues of his 2016 election campaign and presidency.
The Post said a 16 November email broached the proposal, asking officials at different agencies whether members of the migrant caravan could be detained at the border, then bused to “small- and mid-sized sanctuary cities”, where local officials refuse to hand over illegal immigrants for deportation.
The idea of sanctuary cities first developed during the 1980s as a challenge to the US government’s refusal to grant asylum to certain Central American refugees.
It has taken on new importance and energy since the election of Mr Trump, who has persistently positioned himself as an immigration hardliner, something that has intensified as the number of migrants seeking asylum at the US-Mexico border has soared in recent months.
House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s district in San Francisco was one of those the White House considered targeting, the newspaper said
Ashley Etienne, a spokeswoman for Ms Pelosi, denounced the administration for its “cynicism and cruelty” over the plan.
“Using human beings — including little children — as pawns in their warped game to perpetuate fear and demonize immigrants is despicable, and in some cases, criminal,” she told Reuters. “Americans have resoundingly rejected this administration’s toxic anti-immigrant policies.”
IAmDotorg on April 12nd, 2019 at 19:32 UTC »
Hmmm. Does this mean we finally get our taco trucks on every street corner? Because I'm still waiting.
Nathan_Lego_Raffles on April 12nd, 2019 at 17:31 UTC »
This is the kind of thing that only bitter ignorant racists would think is a punishment. We'll happily take them, especially when the alternative is keeping them in fucking cages.
Theyre human beings, not fucking viruses.
These morons are trying to point out a hypocrisy that doesnt exist.
ocschwar on April 12nd, 2019 at 16:59 UTC »
The good: we're talking about cities with existing immigrant communities that are trying to help them already, cities that already receive these migrants by way of the Greyhoudn every day.
The bad: we're talking about people who are RELEASED. As in legally free to move about the country. If the president can order them to be forcibly transported to particular locations, then we are no longer a free country.