MSNBC Live host Hallie Jackson pressed Seattle Mayor Ed Murray on Wednesday about President Donald Trump’s immigration policy of withholding money from sanctuary cities which shelter illegal immigrants from deportation.
Before interviewing Murray, Jackson played separate clips which included Murray in addition to Boston and New York City’s mayors, Marty Walsh and Bill DeBlasio, respectively, vowing to resist Trump’s immigration policy, specifically withholding federal funding from their cities for supporting undocumented immigrants.
Jackson started the interview and asked Murray, “We saw you in that mash-up, talking about this being a dark time in immigration history. So, how are you planning to fight this?”
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In the interview, Murray remarked he has not talked to Trump nor his team about the issue. He added, “We're talking about people who work at jobs most Americans won't work at, who pay taxes, we're talking about children in our schools who spent their whole lives here. We believe that the Constitution, the Tenth Amendment and the spending clause states clearly that, first of all, to be undocumented by itself is not a crime.”
In response, Jackson asked, “Are there plans to take the fight to the federal government through some sort of legal action?”
The Seattle mayor replied that his city will fight in court. “Clearly, the courts and the Constitution clearly say there has to be some connection between the activity the government is asking us to do and the funding. You can't simply cut off transportation funding because of an immigration issue,” Murray replied. “I think it's pretty clear. We're going to fight this in court and we believe that we will win.”
Jackson proceeded to pressure the mayor and asked whether he reconsidered Seattle removing its status as a sanctuary city, like Chicago and New York, in the midst of Trump’s latest executive orders on immigration.
“It hasn't,” Murray responded. “It means we would betray the Constitution of this country. This is a city that is not going to be a city that allows children to be taken out of their schools and neighbors taken out of their homes.”
He added, “I believe we're being coerced. The constitution says that the president is coercing us.”
To be fair, Jackson did ask Murray whether the sanctuary city issue has been politicized considering most cities are led by Democratic mayors.
“It's a moral issue. We're at risk of losing funding. By the way, I should add that cities have suffered decades of federal cuts so the threat is not what it once could have been,” Murray replied. “But again, I think our argument is that we are on the side of the rule of law. You simply according to the courts cannot arrest somebody simply because they're undocumented and you can't take our money away when we are actually obeying what the courts have said.”
Jackson signed off the interview with “Mayor Ed Murray, taking the fight to the Trump administration.”
Here’s the transcript of the January 26th exchange:
MSNBC Live With Hallie Jackson
01/26/17
10:36:36 AM - 10:38:37 AM [2 min, 1 sec]
[PLAYS FOOTAGE OF BOSTON AND NYC MAYOR SEPARATELY STATING RESISTANCE TO TRUMP’S SANCTUARY CITY POLICY]
HALLIE JACKSON: Those are mayors of some of the country’s largest sanctuary cities standing their ground essentially saying they're not going to change their policies when it comes to sanctuary cities, even after President Trump signed that order, pretty much preventing all funding from cities that don't prosecute immigrants living there illegally. Joining me now is Seattle Mayor Ed Murray coming to us from Seattle. Mayor, thanks for being here. We saw you in that mash-up, talking about this being a dark time in immigration history. So, how are you planning to fight this? Have you had a conversation with the President yet or reached out to his team?
SEATTLE MAYOR ED MURRAY: I have not talked to the President. We're talking about people who work at jobs most Americans won't work at, who pay taxes, we're talking about children in our schools who spent their whole lives here. We believe that the Constitution, the Tenth Amendment and the spending clause states clearly that, first of all, to be undocumented by itself is not a crime. The federal government cannot coerce us through funding to do something that is not legal. We believe the president is acting outside the rule of law.
JACKSON: So what are you going to do about it I guess is my question. Are there plans to take the fight to the federal government through some sort of legal action?
MURRAY: We will go to court. Clearly, the courts and the Constitution clearly say there has to be some connection between the activity the government is asking us to do and the funding. You can't simply cut off transportation funding because of an immigration issue. I think it's pretty clear. We're going to fight this in court and we believe that we will win.
JACKSON: You say the president cannot coerce you to do anything different, right? Reuters, if you look at these estimates, says about $72 million goes to your city for federal funding and you are at risk of losing a lot of that. You can see some of these other big numbers for cities around the country. At any point, mayor, have you reconsidered when you look at these numbers and the money that goes to Seattle, have you reconsidered being a sanctuary city? Has that ever crossed your mind?
MURRAY: It hasn't. It means we would betray the Constitution of this country. This is a city that is not going to be a city that allows children to be taken out of their schools and neighbors taken out of their homes. I believe we're being coerced. The constitution says that the president is coercing us.
JACKSON: A lot of these cities are run by Democratic mayors. Is this a political issue? What do you say to critics who say this is being politicized for some sort of gain in that field?
MURRAY: It's a moral issue. We're at risk of losing funding. By the way, I should add that cities have suffered decades of federal cuts so the threat is not what it once could have been. But again, I think our argument is that we are on the side of the rule of law. You simply according to the courts cannot arrest somebody simply because they're undocumented and you can't take our money away when we are actually obeying what the courts have said.
JACKSON: Mayor Ed Murray, taking the fight to the Trump administration. Thank you very much for being here on this so. We appreciate it.
