New York City officials push back against President Trump's immigration plans
NEW YORK (WABC) -- New York City officials are vowing they will not be intimidated by President Donald Trump's controversial decision to enact hard-line immigration measures.
Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. joined immigration advocates from across the city Thursday to speak out against Trump's executive orders, including his proposal to build a wall along the Mexican border and his threat to revoke funding for "sanctuary cities" like New York.
"We will go to the courts if we have to. We will go to the streets if we have to," said Espaillat.
They called it the first step in the pushback, elected officials speaking out against Trump's immigration crackdown and the impact it will have, not only in New York but especially in the Bronx.
"No other borough, no other county in the state of New York will suffer more from these cuts than the borough of the Bronx," said Diaz.
The president's sweeping executive orders authorizing the building of the wall, halting immigration from Syria, and cutting funding to sanctuary cities, touched off protests.
Thursday Mayor Bill de Blasio reiterated his belief that such measures will make New York less safe.
"If they believe by talking to a police officer they will get deported and torn apart from their family, they're not going to work with police," the mayor said.
On Wednesday, de Blasio spoke about Trump's "vague" executive action on immigration, and a rally grew in Washington Square Park in support of immigrants' rights.
The mayor said that New York City is a city of immigrants and has always been.
He added, "It's important to understand that this order doesn't change who we are...our values or how the city government protects its people."
Mayor de Blasio said that due to the "vague" nature of the executive order, it would be "susceptible to legal challenges and public resistance."
Meantime, an rally for Muslim and immigrant rights was held in Washington Square Park to speak out against Trump's executive orders.
In the Bronx, where 40 percent of the borough's population is foreign-born, elected officials aimed a message to those who may be fearful.
"If you're Muslim, if you come from Latin America, Central America, if you're Albanian, if you're Bangladeshi, we are here to stand with you, we are here to defend you, we are here to protect you," said Diaz.
