Trump defends controversial plan to send migrants to Democratic-led cities

US President Donald Trump has doubled down on his plan to bus illegal immigrants to Democratically-led sanctuary cities, rejecting criticism that the move amounts to a breach of law.

"Just out: The USA has the absolute legal right to have apprehended illegal immigrants transferred to Sanctuary Cities," he wrote in a tweet. "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 administration officials have been exploring different ways to hit back at Democrats for constantly blocking Trump’s plans to curb immigration by building a wall on the border with Mexico and introducing new laws that deny entry for citizens of several foreign nations.

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley told Fox News earlier on Saturday shortly that the Trump administration was working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to send undocumented immigrants to sanctuary cities.

"They [Democrats] have said they wanted all of these illegal aliens into their communities," Gidley said.

"We're working with DHS, we're working with ICE, to try and make sure that happens because after all, it's what they want. They should not say 'This is retribution politically,' they should say, 'This is an olive branch,'" he continued.

Before Trump’s tweet, Gidley told reporters that the White House was “trying to figure out if we can do that legally."

He said the Democrats were refusing to work with the White House for an alternative plan.

"They're choosing to stand with hundreds of thousands of people who pour into the country illegally and unlawfully as opposed to hundreds of millions of American citizens," Gidley said.

"They cannot and will not address this issue at all. I guess it's just political because Donald Trump is in the White House and they think they can get these people in the country and get them to vote for them one day," he further said.

PressTV-Trump threatens to send migrants to 'sanctuary cities'

President Trump says he is strongly considering sending detained immigrants in the US to "sanctuary cities."

The plan was first revealed by The Washington Post, which reported Thursday. While initially some officials had claimed that the proposal had long been shelved, Trump said in a tweet on that "we are indeed, as reported, giving strong considerations to placing Illegal Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities."

“The Radical Left always seems to have an Open Borders, Open Arms policy—so this should make them very happy!” the Republican president added.

Democrats have criticized the policy. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that the plan was "disrespectful" and "unworthy of the presidency.”

House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler, a fierce Trump critic, called the proposal immoral and illegal.

“If it’s true, it is very unfortunate and to be condemned,” said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. “That you could use ICE — or any other federal agency — to penalize or to visit retribution for political reasons, that's not the act of a democratic government.” 

Sanctuary cities refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities through information-sharing or detaining immigrants.

Trump has in the past threatened to take away federal funds from such cities until they start to cooperate.

Read More:

• US judge rules against Trump on 'sanctuary cities'

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