President Donald Trump said on Saturday night that the United States has the legal right to have illegal aliens detained at the border transferred to sanctuary cities and that he wants them sent to California.
“Just out: The USA has the absolute legal right to have apprehended illegal immigrants transferred to Sanctuary Cities,” Trump tweeted. “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!”
Trump’s most recent tweet came after White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley said Saturday night on Fox News:
They are telling us you cannot keep family units who come here illegally and unlawfully at the southern border. You can’t keep them at detention facilities. You can’t deport them. The only thing you can do is as an administration is release them into American communities…So, the president said listen, there are sanctuary cities out there where Democrats have said we welcome any and all whether they criminals, whether they are here illegally, seeking asylum, regardless. Anybody who disagrees with us is racist. So the president said fine, I’ve got a great idea. We’d love to work with you guys to figure out exactly the best way to transport these people were here illegally and unlawfully and into your communities and your districts and your states.
On Thursday, The Washington Post reported that the White House “have tried to pressure U.S. immigration authorities to release detainees onto the streets of “sanctuary cities.'”
“The White House told U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that the plan was intended to alleviate a shortage of detention space but also served to send a message to Democrats,” the Post added.
Trump’s plan was not well received by all Democrats as Democrat presidential candidate Julian Castro said on Thursday that Trump’s plan to send the apprehended illegal aliens to sanctuary cities was “cruel.”
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“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,” Trump tweeted earlier in the evening. “If they don’t want to serve our Nation by taking care of them, why should other cities & towns?”
“Democrats must change the Immigration Laws FAST. If not, Sanctuary Cities must immediately ACT to take care of the Illegal Immigrants – and this includes Gang Members, Drug Dealers, Human Traffickers, and Criminals of all shapes, sizes and kinds,” Trump added. “CHANGE THE LAWS NOW!”
On Friday, Trump tweeted: “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? Go home and come into our Country legally and through a system of Merit!”
“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 added. “The Radical Left always seems to have an Open Borders, Open Arms policy – so this should make them very happy!”