President Trump could put public safety at risk if he intends to cut federal grants to so-called sanctuary cities, leaders of the largest police union in the country are warning.

The executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police, Jim Pasco, told Reuters after a White House meeting between the president and police union leaders on Tuesday that the move to restrict grants from sanctuary cities could hurt police departments.

His comments come after Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsTrump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status White House officials voted by show of hands on 2018 family separations: report MORE earlier this week announced state and local governments seeking Justice Department grants must certify they are not sanctuary cities to receive money.

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“Such policies cannot continue. They make our nation less safe by putting dangerous criminals back on the streets,” Sessions said during a surprise appearance in the White House press briefing room.

“Today, I am urging states and local jurisdictions to comply with these federal laws.”

The announcement was the latest step by the Trump administration to crack down on sanctuary cities, which do not assist federal authorities in enforcing immigration laws.

The Justice Department may not allow sanctuary cities to use grants from its Office of Justice Programs and Community Oriented Policing Services, which give money to local and state police departments.

Pasco told Reuters he met with Sessions last month and warned him the police union would not support restrictions on funding to police.