WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump said Friday he is considering releasing “Illegal Immigrants” in Democratic strongholds to punish congressional foes for inaction on the border- just hours after White House and Homeland Security officials insisted the idea had been rejected as fast as it had been proposed.
“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,” Trump tweeted. He added that, “The Radical Left always seems to have an Open Borders, Open Arms policy – so this should make them very happy!”
He told reporters later Friday he was “strongly looking at” the idea.
“They’re always saying they have open arms. Let’s see if they have open arms,” he said.
His comments, which appeared to catch officials at the Department of Homeland Security off guard, came as critics were blasting news that the White House had at least twice considered a plan to release detained immigrants into so-called sanctuary cities as an effort to use migrants as pawns to go after political opponents.