Red, blue states split over Trump ‘sanctuary city’ order

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – President Donald Trump’s promised crackdown on “sanctuary cities” has triggered divergent actions from blue and red states: Some are moving to follow his order and others are breaking with the U.S. government to protect immigrants in the country illegally.

Trump’s recent executive orders threatening to withhold federal funding from communities with sanctuary policies and calling for a border wall have revealed the deep national divide on immigration.

California is pushing for a statewide sanctuary that would prohibit law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. A fellow U.S.-Mexico border state, Texas, is seeking to withhold funding from cities with the policies.

Cities have mostly taken up sanctuary laws. But liberal states would not be the first to block police from enforcing federal immigration law. Oregon pioneered a statewide sanctuary with a 1987 law.