WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Friday said his administration is "giving strong consideration" to placing migrants arriving at the border into so-called sanctuary cities, an idea his aides previously said had been rejected.
"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," Trump posted on Twitter.
The president raised the issue later during a White House event.
"We are looking at the possibility, strongly looking at it," Trump said told reporters. "We'll give them to the sanctuary cities to take care of."
Trump's remarks came a day after revelations that the White House tried to pressure immigration authorities into releasing captured immigrants into sanctuary cities, particularly targeting liberal strongholds in hopes of hurting Democrats. The idea was first reported by The Washington Post.
The White House tried to pitch the idea to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at least twice since November, the Post reported. The White House suggested both transporting migrants who were captured at the border and those currently being held in facilities to sanctuary cities where local authorities don't cooperate with federal immigration enforcement authorities.
"The Radical Left always seems to have an Open Borders, Open Arms policy – so this should make them very happy!" Trump said.
