By Douglas Ernst - The Washington Times - Monday, April 15, 2019

Sen. Cory Booker says the U.S. will be “less safe” if President Trump manages to follow through and send sanctuary cities additional migrants.

The New Jersey politician and 2020 presidential hopeful told CBS that giving sanctuary cities the illegal immigrants they claim to want is tantamount to “injecting fear” into the broader culture.

Mr. Trump, frustrated with Congress’ inability to legislatively address the crisis along the U.S. southern border, sees the proposal as a logical way to ease stress on border communities.

“Those Illegal Immigrants who can no longer be legally held (Congress must fix the laws and loopholes) will be, subject to Homeland Security, given to Sanctuary Cities and States,” Mr. Trump tweeted Monday.

Mr. Booker, speaking with Margaret Brennan of CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” said such a plan is an example of Mr. Trump trying to “pit Americans against each other and make us less safe.”

“He is injecting fear into our country, and so if he was looking to solve the problem he wouldn’t be doing things to divide this country against itself,” the Democrat said Saturday.

Department of Homeland Security lawyers balked at the idea, although White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said legal options are still being explored.

“The president heard the idea, he likes it, so — well, we’re looking to see if there are options that make it possible and doing a full and thorough and extensive review,” she told ABC News on Sunday.

• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.

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