Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager Robby Mook twice refused to give Clinton’s position on sanctuary cities.
Partial transcript as follows:
TAPPER: I want to turn to the subject of immigration, because it’s a topic that’s sure to come up tomorrow, it’s a major part of the Trump campaign. I know you have a lot of criticism of Donald Trump’s position. When it comes to Hillary Clinton I have to ask about sanctuary cities, cities where they don’t enforce federal immigration laws and that sometimes means people who are criminals, who are in this country illegally end up getting free and committing worse crimes. It’s a fact that that does happen. Does Hillary Clinton consider sanctuary cities to be a problem?
MOOK: Well, first of all, Jake, as you mentioned we do think this is a really important difference between both of the candidates. And Secretary Clinton has released a comprehensive plan for immigration reform. This is something she’s pledged to do in the first 100 days. We cannot have a situation where anybody is coming to this country illegally and committing crimes. And so she has, as I said, put out plans to make sure we’re removing violent criminals from this country but that can happen at the same time that we’re not tearing families apart. And that we’re making sure that hard-working people who have been here for a very long time come out of the shadows, come in to the system, pay those back taxes, become citizen, and so actually our economy can continue to grow.
TAPPER: I’m not clear those. does she want to end sanctuary cities or not. You say people shouldn’t be coming into this country illegally but a spokesman said last year Hillary Clinton believes sanctuary cities can help further public safety and she has defended those policies going back years.
MOOK: That’s too narrow a view of the situation. We need comprehensive immigration reform. And part of impressive immigration reform is making sure that law enforcement has the tools to find these violent criminals and get them out of the country. And that for people who do not have legal status right now that we put them on that path to citizenship.
TAPPER: I look forward to further clarity on the sanctuary issue specifically.
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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