Campaigning in North Carolina on Saturday, former President Trump said that if elected president, he would ask Congress to pass a bill banning sanctuary cities.
“As soon as I take office, I will send federal law enforcement to every city that is failing to extradite criminal aliens. As many cities have, we will track down and arrest every gang member, drug dealer, rapist, murderer and criminal immigrant who is illegally harboring them,” Trump said at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina.
“I call on Congress to pass legislation outlawing sanctuary cities nationwide, and I demand full federal pressure on jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate. [Immigration and Customs Enforcement]” he continued.
The term “sanctuary city” generally refers to a local government that “does not fully cooperate with federal detention requests regarding illegal immigrants.” According to Britannicahas always been a source of controversy even among Republicans.
Immigration has become a hot-button issue in the 2024 election, particularly after Trump and Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance amplified false claims about Haitian immigrants in Ohio, including inaccurately saying they eat pets.
Their comments about Haitian immigrants have even drawn backlash from local Republicans.
“They're very hurtful. They're very hurtful for the people,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine told NewsNation host Chris Cuomo earlier this week. “It's hurtful for the people of Springfield, it's hurtful for the people of Haiti who are working there every day.”
