WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump may have threatened to transport illegal immigrants to so-called sanctuary cities to "make everybody crazy" and generate media attention, Republican U.S. Senator Rick Scott said on Sunday.Trump said on Friday he was considering sending illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities, prompting U.S. mayors to accept such an offer as the battle over border security rages.
Sanctuary cities are local jurisdictions that generally give undocumented immigrants safe harbor by refusing to use their resources to help enforce federal immigration laws that could lead to deportations.
Since many such jurisdictions are Democratic strongholds, the proposal was seen by critics of Trump as an attempt by the president to punish Democrats for refusing to support funding for the construction of a wall on the southern U.S. border.
It would, however, likely encounter a slew of logistical and legal obstacles, with some legal experts and advocacy groups saying the proposal could violate federal laws, including those barring the use of government funds for political purposes.