Talking Points: Sanctuary Cities & Trump's Presidency
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Several hundred people attended a meeting Sunday afternoon aimed at easing fears and putting out information in the Twin Cities Latino community about the impact of Donald Trump's presidency.
The meeting was held at Holy Rosario Catholic Church in south Minneapolis.
Since the election, community leaders and even the St. Paul and Minneapolis police departments have voiced concerns that immigrants have been reluctant to call police or even attend community events.
An estimated 100,000 illegal immigrants live in Minnesota. Many have been here for years and have family members who were either born here or are living here legally.
Both Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as a number of other Minnesota communities, are considered sanctuary cities. A sanctuary city is generally considered a city were law enforcement officers won't independently enforce immigration actions.
In other words: Officers responding to calls won't ask an individual about their immigration status.
President-elect Trump is promising to cut federal aid to sanctuary cities and to deport anyone here illegally.
Both St. Paul and Minneapolis police departments have put together videos, urging those in immigrant communities not to be fearful to call police if they witness or are a victim of a crime.
Minneapolis City Council Member Alondra Cano says the fear in some communities is overwhelming.
"People are afraid that the raids will happen at the schools, that Trump will send Department of Homeland Security and raid the schools," Cano said on WCCO Sunday Morning.
"People are having conversations," she added, "How can we create sanctuary schools? How can we create sanctuary cities?"
The national estimate for how many people are living in the U.S. illegally is over 10 million.