SEATTLE – Democratic mayors of several major U.S. cities say they’ll do all they can to protect residents from deportation, despite President-elect Donald Trump’s vows to withhold potentially millions of dollars in taxpayer money if the cities don’t co-operate with immigration officials.
New York’s Bill de Blasio, Chicago’s Rahm Emanuel and Seattle’s Ed Murray are among those in “sanctuary cities” who have tried to soothe immigrant populations worried about Trump’s agenda.
READ MORE: Immigrants in U.S. gripped by deportation fears with Donald Trump election win
Groups that track illegal immigration say there are about 300 jurisdictions around the country with sanctuary-like approaches, such as refusing to notify immigration officials when illegal immigrants are being released from jail or barring police from inquiring about a person’s legal status.
During the campaign, Trump promised to “end the sanctuary cities” and said those “that refuse to co-operate with federal authorities will not receive taxpayer dollars.”
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