NEW YORK—Mayor Bill de Blasio said that he will fight President Donald Trump’s idea to place illegal immigrants in the sanctuary city of New York. The mayor rejected the plan during a political talk show on April 16.
President Trump announced the possibility of placing illegal immigrants in sanctuary cities on April 12. Despite de Blasio’s claims that New York will always welcome immigrants, he has openly disagreed with the proposal; meanwhile, mayors of other sanctuary cities have shown their support.
Make no mistake, New York City will ALWAYS stand up to @realDonaldTrump and call out his cynical plots to divide our country. To anyone in the world fleeing hatred and oppression, the ultimate city of immigrants wants you to remember: you’re ALWAYS welcome here. pic.twitter.com/H9xOYz5mJe
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) April 16, 2019
“It’s illegal. It’s just plain illegal,” said the mayor, on Inside City Hall. “We will meet him in court and we will beat him [in] court.”
His plan to challenge the allocating of immigrants has confused New Yorkers. The New York Post spoke with Ligia Guallpa, the co-executive of Worker’s Justice Project, who said that his mixed messages has worried some immigrants.
“De Blasio has breathlessly talked the talk that New York would also keep a light on for illegal immigrants, but stopped short of walking the walk when Trump floated the idea of foisting asylum seekers on sanctuary cities.” https://t.co/5aUtzCE2V9
— Sally Goldenberg (@SallyGold) April 18, 2019
“I think the messages can be very confusing, and it’s creating a lot of fear as well among immigrants about whether you know what’s the real message of Mayor de Blasio,” she told the media outlet.
Another advocacy group called the New York Immigration Coalition responded to the president’s plan via a statement, calling it a political game against sanctuary cities. Additionally, the statement read that New York thrives on welcoming immigrants.
A dozen #Immigration advocacy orgs either declined comment or stayed silent regarding willingness to work with the Trump admin resettling #IllegalImmigrants in #SanctuaryCities & #SanctuaryStates, which enact policies to impede @ICEgov from deporting them. https://t.co/R5oQHSFccT
— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) April 18, 2019
Phil Orenstein, President of the Queens Village Republican Club, said that it sounds like Mayor de Blasio doesn’t know what he wants.
“It’s very contradictory. It’s very hypocritical … and you know, I think people are just not really giving him that much credibility anymore,” said Orenstein.
Those Illegal Immigrants who can no longer be legally held (Congress must fix the laws and loopholes) will be, subject to Homeland Security, given to Sanctuary Cities and States!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2019
Presidents Tackles Influx With Sanctuary Cities
President Trump’s proposal was prompted by the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. Customs and Border Protection made over 92,000 apprehensions at the southern border in March. Border facilities are overcrowded and Congress is reluctant to act on the issue, according to the president.
“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 wrote on Twitter.
….The Radical Left always seems to have an Open Borders, Open Arms policy – so this should make them very happy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2019