W.House to name cities 'obstructing' anti-immigration agenda

WASHINGTON: US President Donald

Trump

is to name and shame cities accused of "obstructing" his crackdown on illegal immigration, the

White House

said Monday, in a move aimed at "protecting American communities from criminal aliens."
Trump's press secretary

Karoline Leavitt

told reporters he will sign an executive order later Monday to "direct the attorney general and secretary of homeland security to publish a list of state and local jurisdictions that obstruct the enforcement of federal immigration laws."
Trump won the White House election last November in large part on promises to combat what he repeatedly claimed was an invasion of criminal migrants.
His rhetoric about rapists and murderers descending on suburban homes resonated with swaths of voters concerned about high levels of illegal immigration.

As part of the drive, Republicans in the White House and Congress have sought to crack down on so-called "

sanctuary cities

," which typically prohibit public officials from telling federal agents about undocumented immigrants if they are at risk of deportation.
The Democratic mayors of four major cities, Boston, Chicago, Denver and New York, were hauled over the coals in Congress in March over such immigration policies.
All four cities have struggled to cope with a huge influx of migrants crossing from Mexico.
Leavitt touted the success of Trump's crackdown, noting a 95 percent drop in encounters at the Mexico border in the 12 months from March 2024, when Joe Biden was still in office.
"America's borders are now secure because of President Trump. He has restored the rule of law, enforced our immigration laws and defended America's sovereignty," she said.