Washington, DC – Yesterday, the Trump Administration published a list of nearly 600 “sanctuary jurisdictions,” threatening to suspend or terminate their federal funding. In response, U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director, Tom Cochran, issued the following statement:
“The U.S. Conference of Mayors stands firmly behind the rights of mayors and their cities to determine the best public safety strategies for their individual communities. Crime has been plummeting in our cities, and any forced effort to divert scarce resources and break trust with immigrant communities is a threat to public safety. Yesterday’s politically motivated and legally dubious action by the Administration is a clear overreach of federal authority that not only undermines local autonomy but also threatens public safety and essential services that benefit all city residents.
“Despite the Administration’s accusations, mayors remain committed to working with law enforcement to ensure that all criminals, regardless of their immigration status, are properly adjudicated by the criminal justice system. Public safety is the number one priority for mayors – a responsibility that they do not take lightly. As such, police departments regularly work in cooperation with federal authorities on a variety of enforcement activities. The Administration’s actions work against these efforts and do nothing but jeopardize the very safety it claims to want to uphold.
“Immigrants are integral to the fabric of the American tapestry. For generations, they have played a critical role in shaping our communities, contributing to our workforce, our economy, our culture, and our future. We urge the Administration to reconsider this misguided effort and to find productive ways to work with our cities as we strive to uphold the values of compassion and respect that make our nation thrive.”