Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan (D) said in an interview that aired Wednesday on “Rising” that federalizing local law enforcement efforts in “sanctuary cities” is not making the U.S. any safer.
“It’s wrong to try to federalize local law enforcement,” Durkan told Hill.TV on Tuesday. “That’s not our job, and particularly when the focus of their enforcement efforts are not making America safer or Seattle safer.”
“We know that people coming from other countries with their children out of desperate circumstances applying for asylum deserve the protections that the Constitution and the law give them,” she continued.
“In Seattle, we’ve had people who have had asylum come to the city. We welcome them. We’ve provided for them, and they’ve done great things,” she said.
Sanctuary cities are cities that do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities through information-sharing or detaining immigrants.
President Trump announced last month he was contemplating sending migrants to sanctuary cities as a way to retaliate against Democrats on immigration policy.
Durkan fired back in a Washington Post op-ed shortly after.
“Here’s a message to President Trump: Seattle is not afraid of immigrants and refugees. In fact, we have always welcomed people who have faced tremendous hardships around the world. Immigrants and refugees are part of Seattle’s heritage, and they will continue to make us the city of the future,” she wrote.
— Julia Manchester
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