The White House is considering transporting unlawful migrants to sanctuary cities, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders announced on Sunday.
By: Harry Cherry
“Look, this is an option on the table,” she told George Stephanopoulos Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.” “The President heard the idea, he likes it, so well, we’re looking to see if there are options that make it possible and doing a full and thorough and extensive review.”
She said that the idea wouldn’t be President Trump’s “first choice,” but added that it is an option actively being considered. Sanders that the idea was originally proposed “at a staff level,” and that it was not put into action because “logistically, there were a lot of challenges and it probably didn’t make sense to move forward.”
President Trump confirmed in a tweet on Friday that he was strongly considering the idea.
“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,” the president said on Twitter. “The Radical Left always seems to have an Open Borders, Open Arms policy – so this should make them very happy!”
“If the Radical Left Democrats all of a sudden don’t want the Illegal Migrants in their Sanctuary Cities (no more open arms), why should others be expected to take them into their communities,” he said in another tweet later on Friday. “Go home and come into our Country legally and through a system of Merit!”
“So interesting to see the Mayor of Oakland and other Sanctuary Cities NOT WANT our currently “detained immigrants” after release due to the ridiculous court-ordered 20-day rule,” President Trump tweeted on Saturday. “If they don’t want to serve our Nation by taking care of them, why should other cities & towns?”
“Just out: The USA has the absolute legal right to have apprehended illegal immigrants transferred to Sanctuary Cities,” he added in a tweet Saturday evening. “We hereby demand that they be taken care of at the highest level, especially by the State of California, which is well known or its poor management & high taxes!”
Sanctuary cities refuse to cooperate with federal immigration officials, citing the need for an open and welcome atmosphere.
Mr. Nadler, on Sunday, said that Mr. Trump “has no right to spend money appropriated by Congress for other purposes to ship immigrants all over the country.”
“Nor is it right for the President to use immigrants or people who are claiming political asylum as pawns in a fight against political opponents,” he added. “He shouldn’t use them as what he imagines as retribution to political opponents in various areas.”
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) said Sunday on NBC that the proposal is an “act of bombastic chaos.”
“Number one, look, you can’t threaten somebody with something they’re not afraid of,” he told Chuck Todd on Meet the Press. “And we are not afraid of diversity in the state of Washington. We relish it.”
