Trump threatens to cut funds from sanctuary cities amid coronavirus

Washington, United States.

In the middle of the pandemic of coronavirus, the president of USA, Donald trump, has threatened to remove funds from “sanctuary cities“those who refuse to collaborate with the federal authorities to deport immigrants and among which cities such as NY and Los Angeles.

White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany confirmed on Friday that the president plans to use immigration policy as an element of negotiation with state governors who request federal aid to alleviate the economic ravages of the pandemic.

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“I do not want to anticipate anything about the negotiations, but I do want to emphasize that he (Trump) has mentioned the sanctuary cities, is a very important subject, “McEnany said at a press conference.

Next, a journalist asked if that means that the president is conditioning federal funds to a tightening of immigration policy, to which McEnany replied: “No, nothing is being conditioned, but I am saying that it is an element of the negotiation which the president will certainly mention. “

Trump suggested this week for the first time that he was considering making the aid of the coronavirus at the end of politics “sanctuary“

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Specifically, on Wednesday, the president stated: “I don’t think you should have sanctuary cities if they take this kind of help. If you’re going to have cities and states that receive assistance in the terms that we’re talking about, billions of dollars. I don’t think there must be sanctuary cities. “

Since coming to power in 2017, Trump has waged a crusade against “sanctuary” jurisdictions, some 200 cities and counties in USA that they do not allocate resources to persecute immigrants and refuse to inform the federal authorities of the immigration status of the detainees.

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In reaction to these policies, large cities in USA, mostly governed by the Democratic opposition, have declared themselves “sanctuaries” in recent years and, in addition, the state of California became the first in the country with that name in January 2018.

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