Toni Preckwinkle: "Enforcing immigration laws is the federal government's responsibility"
[audio src="https://dometi.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/dp-wrap-sanctuary-city.mp3"][/audio] Dometi Pongo reports...
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is threatening to pull federal funds from so-called sanctuary cities.
Attorney General Sessions accuses cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles of harboring undocumented immigrants which, according to Sessions, threatens the safety of American citizens.
“The Department of Justice will also take all lawful steps to claw back any funds awarded to a jurisdiction that willfully violates [U.S. Code] 1373.” -AG Sessions
NEW: AG Jeff Sessions announces that sanctuary cities will not receive @TheJusticeDept grants if they do not comply with federal law pic.twitter.com/wUrwLTd6uG
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) March 27, 2017
But Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is not backing down. She says the county is following the law to the letter and for her, that means letting the Feds do their job.
“It’s the federal government’s responsibility to enforce immigration laws. Not cities, not towns, not counties, not states..it’s the federal government’s responsibility. And we cooperate with them to the extent that is required and permitted by law but we are not federal agents and we are not going to do the work of federal agents.” -Preckwinkle on WVON's Perri Small Midday Show
In an interview with NBC5 Monday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Chicago will continue welcoming immigrants.