Emanuel fires back at Trump over plan to release detained immigrants in sanctuary cities
President Donald Trump confirmed in tweets Friday reports that White House officials have considered releasing immigrant detainees in sanctuary cities in regions governed by Democrats, giving Democratic officials including Mayor Rahm Emanuel another opportunity to decry Trump immigration policies.
The Washington Post reported Thursday night about the plans, disclosed in emails released to the Post and The New York Times.
Trump responded Friday morning on Twitter, tweeting that the reports were true and officials have strongly considered placing immigrants in sanctuary cities.
In a statement released Friday morning, Emanuel said that cities have been designating themselves as sanctuary cities “because of the abandonment of Americans values, ideals and cultural destiny” under Trump. Chicago has been a sanctuary city since 2012 after Emanuel announced the Welcoming City Ordinance that offers protections for immigrants living in the country illegally.
“What President Trump fails to understand is that America is a sanctuary country,” Emanuel said in the statement. “Chicago will always be a welcoming city; immigrants of all faiths, nationalities and ethnicities help make Chicago the most American of American cities.”
