WASHINGTON – The White House tried to pressure immigration authorities into releasing captured immigrants into sanctuary cities, particularly targeting liberal strongholds in hopes of hurting Democrats, according to a report from The Washington Post.

The report noted that the White House has attempted to pitch the idea to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at least twice since November. The White House suggested both transporting migrants who were captured at the border and those currently being held in facilities to sanctuary cities where local authorities don't cooperate with federal immigration enforcement authorities.

Among the areas targeted: Democratic strongholds, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's district in San Francisco.

The Post reported that the proposal sought to ease the bed shortage at immigration detention centers and "send a message to Democrats."

The White House did not immediately respond to inquires about the proposal. In a statement to the Post, the White House admitted it was "just a suggestion that was floated and rejected."

The Department of Homeland Security echoed the White House in a statement to USA TODAY, saying, "this was a suggestion that was floated and rejected, which ended any further discussion."

'His immigration legacy':Immigration policy legal challenges? Advisers urge Trump to ignore setbacks, charge ahead

More:A multimillion-dollar question: What's a 'sanctuary city?'

Indeed, ICE's legal department pushed back against the White House proposal, pointing out the legal concerns, budget issues and "PR risks as well," according to the Washington Post, which cited both emails and officials within the DHS.

Ashley Etienne, a spokeswoman for Pelosi, derided the administration's idea to use immigrants in an attempt to hurt Democrats, including the idea to target her district.

"The extent of this Administration’s cynicism and cruelty cannot be overstated," Etienne said. "Using human beings — including little children — as pawns in their warped game to perpetuate fear and demonize immigrants is despicable, and in some cases, criminal. The American people have resoundingly rejected this Administration’s toxic anti-immigrant policies, and Democrats will continue to advance immigration policies that keep us safe and honor our values."

The first time the White House brought up the idea was in November, around the time of the midterm elections, as a migrant caravan was approaching the southern U.S. border, the Post reported.

President Donald Trump repeatedly brought up the caravan and the southern border as a crucial issue in the lead up to the midterm races, even deploying 6,000 troops to the border in the days before voters cast their ballots.

"The idea has been raised by 1-2 principals that, if we are unable to build sufficient temporary housing, that caravan members be bussed to small- and mid-sized sanctuary cities," May Davis, a deputy assistant to Trump wrote in an email to officials at ICE. The email's subject line read: sanctuary City Proposal," according to the Post.

Matthew Albence, who two administration officials say will be tapped as ICE's acting director by Friday, wrote back and pointed out the flaws with the plan, including the "operational burden" in transporting so many migrants.

"Not sure how paying to transport aliens to another location to release them — when they can be released on the spot — is a justified expenditure. Not to mention the liability should there be an accident along the way," he wrote, according to the Post.

The White House again brought up the proposal in February amid the government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history after Trump and congressional Democrats hit an impasse over funding for a wall along the southern border.

The president has continued to push his aggressive immigration agenda, even using his executive powers to implement policies or kickstart projects, such as his declaration of a national emergency in February that freed up billions to construction a wall along the southern border.

More:Another top DHS official is leaving, paving the way for President Trump's pick to run the agency

Want news from USA TODAY on WhatsApp? Click this link on your mobile device to get started

Sanctuary cities have long drawn Trump’s ire. Just days after taking office, Trump signed an executive order in 2017 that cut off federal funding to sanctuary cities, calling undocumented immigration a "clear and present danger" to national security. The order was immediately challenged in court and so far, judges have found the president’s order unconstitutional, though the Trump administration continues to appeal.

Trump's immigration policies have been a focal point of his presidency with his administration continuing to pose hardline stances on the issue, including a policy that led to the separation of migrant children from their families at the border.

That approach might be intensifying. Last week, Trump said he was pulling his nomination for a new director of ICE so they could go in a “different direction” with someone “tougher.”

The president’s comments came amid a massive shakeup within DHS that led to a handful of the department’s top officials leaving, including Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.