---this woman thinks she's going to federal tax dollars for this... maybe under maobama...---
The nation’s capital is joining several other heavily Democratic cities in pledging to spend tax dollars to defend illegal immigrants against efforts by the incoming Trump administration to deport them.
D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) announced Monday she plans to award grants to defense lawyers and nonprofit organizations to represent any of the District’s estimated 25,000 illegal immigrants who are faced with deportation.
The $500,000 fund will also help illegal immigrants in the District apply for asylum and will provide representation for those residing in the city legally with green cards to obtain permanent U.S. citizenship.
In a statement, Bowser said the District is “doubling down” on its status as a sanctuary city, where D.C. police have already been instructed to not cooperate with federal authorities working to deport residents.
“We must ensure that all District residents can take advantage of their federal and constitutional rights,” Bowser said. “If immigration enforcement changes and problems arise, DC’s immigrant population will have our support and the support of DC’s legal community.”
Bowser’s announcement puts the District alongside Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and the state of New York, where Democratic mayors, governors and legislatures have in recent weeks approved or pledged to create similar public-private defense funds for illegal immigrants.
It also comes almost two months after Bowser was confronted in a library by angry demonstrators who said the mayor had not done enough to forcefully denounce President-elect Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Bowser was caught by surprise by the revolt, insisting that “your mayor has stood up . . . asserted firmly that we are a sanctuary city.” She left the scene with the crowd chanting “not enough.”
Betsy Cavendish, the mayor’s general counsel, said it would take D.C. ‘beyond sanctuary’ city status, using taxpayer funds to actively oppose a crackdown on illegal immigrants.
The nation’s capital is joining several other heavily Democratic cities in pledging to spend tax dollars to defend illegal immigrants against efforts by the incoming Trump administration to deport them.
D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) announced Monday she plans to award grants to defense lawyers and nonprofit organizations to represent any of the District’s estimated 25,000 illegal immigrants who are faced with deportation.
The $500,000 fund will also help illegal immigrants in the District apply for asylum and will provide representation for those residing in the city legally with green cards to obtain permanent U.S. citizenship.
In a statement, Bowser said the District is “doubling down” on its status as a sanctuary city, where D.C. police have already been instructed to not cooperate with federal authorities working to deport residents.
“We must ensure that all District residents can take advantage of their federal and constitutional rights,” Bowser said. “If immigration enforcement changes and problems arise, DC’s immigrant population will have our support and the support of DC’s legal community.”
Bowser’s announcement puts the District alongside Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and the state of New York, where Democratic mayors, governors and legislatures have in recent weeks approved or pledged to create similar public-private defense funds for illegal immigrants.
It also comes almost two months after Bowser was confronted in a library by angry demonstrators who said the mayor had not done enough to forcefully denounce President-elect Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Bowser was caught by surprise by the revolt, insisting that “your mayor has stood up . . . asserted firmly that we are a sanctuary city.” She left the scene with the crowd chanting “not enough.”
Betsy Cavendish, the mayor’s general counsel, said it would take D.C. ‘beyond sanctuary’ city status, using taxpayer funds to actively oppose a crackdown on illegal immigrants.