Understanding Trump’s “sanctuary city” executive order

Today President Trump signed an executive order which, as promised, proposes to withhold federal funding from so-called “sanctuary cities.” And Mayor Murray, along with some Council members, stood their ground. Back in November I wrote a summary of what the city could lose in federal funding, but at the time is was difficult to tell whether Trump would really follow through, and if so how he would structure such an order. Now that he’s clarified that, it’s time to examine exactly what his executive order, and the local and federal laws, say.

Continue reading

The cost of being a sanctuary city in Trump’s USA

President-elect Donald Trump  (yes, it pains me to write that) has stated that in his first 100 days in office he will cancel all federal funding to “sanctuary cities” such as Seattle, where by ordinance city employees may not inquire into a person’s immigration status (except in specific law-enforcement circumstances).  Yesterday Mayor Ed Murray held a press conference, in which he stated that Seattle will continue to be a sanctuary city, even if it loses federal funding. So how much is at stake?

Continue reading