By Brenna Goth |The Republic
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton responded Thursday to calls for the city to defy state law on immigration issues, saying he wouldn’t ask local police officers to do what activists say it will take to make Phoenix a “sanctuary city.”
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Stanton responded in a statement to a citizen petition presented to the City Council on Wednesday asking to change Phoenix Police Department policy and stop cooperating with federal immigration enforcement. While no exact definition exists of a “sanctuary city,” local activists have said it requires ending a department policy regarding immigration enforcement.
Though community groups have for weeks escalated their calls for Stanton to change the policy, they aren’t behind the petition the council expects to respond to on Feb. 15. It’s unclear how the item will appear on the council agenda, or if council members will take a vote.
