Democratic 2020 presidential candidate Julián Castro on Thursday ripped the White House for suggesting federal officials send immigrant detainees to sanctuary cities to spite Democrats.
“The cruelty of this administration never seems to end,” the Obama administration-era housing chief and former mayor of San Antonio, Texas, told a live studio audience during a CNN town hall.
“You know, a year ago this administration told us that as Americans if we would just be cruel enough to separate little children from their parents that that would deter more families from coming to our southern border. And, in fact, the opposite has happened,” he said. “Now they’re talking about busing families to particular cities to target political opponents. You know, these folks want us to choose cruelty as a weapon against these people and against political opponents.”
Castro’s own immigration plan calls for changing unauthorized border crossings from a criminal to a civil offense.
His response was triggered by a Washington Post report that found the White House asked multiple government agencies in November and February if those arrested at the border as part of a migrant caravan could be taken to “small- and mid-sized sanctuary cities,” but the idea was quashed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Castro also said Thursday it was “astonishing” that Trump had yet to release any of his tax returns, but his hesitancy made it “clear that he has something to hide.” The former secretary promised to disclose a decade of his own financial information in the next few weeks, endorsing legislative efforts to make similar public reporting federal law.
“I don’t necessarily think that we need to do a constitutional amendment for it, but I support making it a requirement by statute, Congress passing a law that requires people who are running for president to submit 10 years of their tax returns,” Castro said in response to a question from the crowd.
In a crowded primary field, Castro has about 1% support among likely Democratic voters nationwide, according to RealClearPolitics’ polling average.
