Immigrant Rights Advocate: Courts Will Side With 'Sanctuary Cities'

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A leading advocate for immigrant rights said courts will side with "sanctuary cities" as they resist President Donald Trump's threat to take away their federal funds.

WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports.

Trump's executive order says jurisdictions that do not comply with laws for deporting undocumented immigrants will lose federal funds, except as mandated by law.

Mony Ruiz-Velasco chairs the Board of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. She believes the law is on the side of cities such as Chicago that refuse to tell the federal government where to find undocumented immigrants.

"I think it's unfortunate to see that Donald Trump's administration has not checked in with their own lawyers about what is legal and what can be done," she said.

She said the 10th Amendment protects states and cities from being threatened with the loss of federal funds over something like this.

Ruiz-Velasco is also the director of the West Suburban Action project. She said it will take more than Rahm Emanuel's administration to protect undocumented immigrants.

"This is one city, there are over 200 municipalities across the United States that have declared themselves 'sanctuary,' and we are working to have more declare themselves 'sanctuary,'" she said.

WBBM News Radio will talk about challenges facing immigrants and refugees on its "At Issue" program this Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m.