District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser has joined a growing number of mayors who say they'll do all they can to protect residents from deportation after President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

Bowser, a Democrat, said in a statement late Monday that the District will remain a "sanctuary city.'' The Democratic mayors of New York, Chicago and Seattle have made similar pledges.

Trump promised during a campaign speech to "end the sanctuary cities'' and said those "that refuse to cooperate with federal authorities will not receive taxpayer dollars.''

The term generally refers to cities where police are told not to ask suspects about their immigration status or share such information with federal authorities. D.C. police have long followed that policy, which was reaffirmed in 2011 by then-mayor Vincent Gray.