St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman is speaking out against President Trump’s travel ban.
Kriseman is declaring the city a sanctuary from the immigration laws Trump is trying to pass that are currently being halted by a federal judge.
Mayor Kriseman said in a blog post that he will have no hesitation declaring St. Petersburg a sanctuary from harmful federal immigration laws, and added police officers will not comply with the laws either.
A spokesman for the Pinellas County Republican party says Kriseman is overstepping his ground, that stopping police from enforcing anything is up to the chief not the mayor.
Motivations were also questioned by the local republicans.
“I think this is a liberal stunt to help his re election chances, and to try and reject things that Donald Trump is running,” spokesman Matt Lettellier said.
Residents of St. Petersburg defended the mayor’s statements, many admiring him for taking a stance.
Dieter Randolph told us he did not believe there were political motivations behind the statements.
“The truth is the kind of people who are going to cheer for that, he’s got their vote, I’m one of them, sure it’s good PR but it’s an important symbolic gesture as well.”
