Washington, Aug 15 : US President Donald Trump has vowed to abolish sanctuary cities across the country as part of a wider immigration crackdown, accusing jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal authorities of protecting criminals.

Trump made the pledge during an address to police officers and supporters in Garden City, New York. He also called for tougher penalties for repeat offenders and an end to cashless bail.

â??We will impose harsh new penalties for dangerous repeat offenders,â?? Trump said. â??We will crack down on Marxist prosecutors.â??

â??We will never abolish the police instead. We will abolish the sanctuary cities. We will abolish them; we will destroy them; we will take them out. Weâ??re going to take them out of service, and we will immediately end no cash bail,â?? he added.

Trump described sanctuary jurisdictions as the biggest obstacle facing his administrationâ??s immigration enforcement campaign.

â??The biggest problem we have, the biggest impediment we have are sanctuary cities, you know, where they protect criminals,â?? he said. â??Itâ??s called a sanctuary for criminal â?? we ought to change the name a sanctuary for criminals.â??

The president accused New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Mamdani of opposing his border, immigration and crime policies. He also attacked New Yorkâ??s bail and parole policies.

Trump claimed Hochul had turned New York into a sanctuary state and wanted migrant offenders released from jails. He did not cite the provisions of the law during the speech.

â??Sheâ??s in favor of the sanctuary city. She thinks the sanctuary cities are wonderful, which are killing our country,â?? Trump said.

Trump praised Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman for cooperating with federal authorities. He said the partnership had led to the removal of more than 2,000 migrant offenders from the county.

The president also claimed federal law enforcement agencies had arrested 1.2 million people described as criminals nationwide since he took office. He said federal criminal prosecutions had increased by more than 50 per cent and FBI arrests for violent crime had nearly doubled.

â??We want to make sure we get the bad ones,â?? Trump said.

Trump linked his immigration campaign to the decline in crime that he announced during the same address. He said his administration had ended what he called a border invasion and restored support for police.

/IANS