Would this be considered Donald Trump’s version of “social justice”?

The Washington Post is reporting that on at least two occasions in recent months, the Trump administration proposed releasing illegal immigrant detainees into sanctuary cities, including San Francisco.

The alleged purpose of the release would be to embarrass the president’s political foes, says the Post.

Fox News:

The proposal was first floated in November amid reports of a large migrant caravan from Central America making its way to the southern border. The other time it was considered — in February– occurred during a standoff between Trump and Democrats over border wall funding. It was rejected both times by immigration agencies, the report said. A Nov. 16 email from the White House to officials at several agencies reportedly asked whether migrants could be arrested and bused to “small-and mid-sized sanctuary cities” and other Democratic strongholds. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s district in San Francisco was considered one of the areas targeted, according to the paper. Pelosi blasted the plan Thursday, calling it “despicable” to use “human beings — including little children — as pawns in their warped game to perpetuate fear and demonize immigrants.”

How would this proposal “perpetuate fear and demonize immigrants”? These are cities that, by definition, welcome illegal aliens. Wouldn’t illegals be less fearful in a sanctuary city than anywhere else? And aren’t the citizens of those cities in favor of the sanctuary policies formulated by their leaders?

Of course, this isn’t about Trump’s cynical ploy to punish his foes. Democrats are mad because Trump has exposed them as the virtue-signaling hypocrites they are.

RedState:

These elitists don’t actually want their cities becoming home to masses of illegal immigrants. They want to sit in their gated communities hundreds (but mostly thousands) of miles away from the border and virtue signal instead. When push comes to shove though, they’d rather these people file into border towns in Arizona and Texas. They don’t want them in New York or San Francisco. If they were consistent, they’d be begging the President to send buses of illegals to their sanctuary cities. That’s what they exist for right? Why have sanctuary cities at all if not? They aren’t supportive of the President doing that though because they don’t actually want to help these people. They just want to use them as political pawns.

As it happens, this is much ado about nothing. The proposal was one of those crazy ideas from someone in the White House that was immediately rejected.

“This was just a suggestion that was floated and rejected, which ended any further discussion,” a White House statement to the paper said. In a statement, Deputy ICE Director Matt Albence also pushed back and said he was not pressured by the White House – though indicated such a proposal was put forward. “As the Acting Deputy I was not pressured by anyone at the White House on this issue. I was asked my opinion and provided it and my advice was heeded. The email exchange is clear and suggesting that it indicates inappropriate pressure is inaccurate,” he said.

But oh, it would have been delicious to see, yes?