Durkan goes on ‘Hardball’ to oppose Trump’s sanctuary city threat
Apr 16, 2019, 5:07 AM | Updated: 5:14 am
Mayor Jenny Durkan is doubling down on her response to President Trump’s proposal to place illegal immigrants in sanctuary cities and says many around Seattle will step up to house them.
Appearing on Hardball with Chris Matthews Monday afternoon, Durkan argued that what the president proposes is illegal, but Seattle has networks in place, ready to handle people who arrive.
“It’s not a threat to us,” Durkan said. “Upholding the Constitution and taking in people is the finest tradition of America and the cities are ready to stand up and do that.”
“Just over this weekend, I’ve received hundreds of emails from people in our area offering places of refuge and saying ‘I’ll take some in my own home; I’ll take some in our church,'” she said. “I think people will step up.”
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Durkan noted that other cities, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, have similar networks in place. The discussion continues after last week when Trump proposed placing illegal immigrants in sanctuary cities only. Durkan responded last week by saying the threat was “inhumane.”
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….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2019
Durkan further said that Seattle has taken in thousands of refugees before, but in response to one scenario Matthews laid out, she said that “I don’t think we would take 50,000 in one go …”
Instead of mentioning “illegal immigrants,” as the president has said, Durkan spoke to the issue of asylum seekers, saying that the president is denying them the ability to have a hearing.
“We are the country of opportunity and we have to remain that country of opportunity,” she said. “We cannot let this president … take the power of America to destroy the promise of America.”
See Durkan’s segment with Chris Matthews here.
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