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San Francisco Mayor Lee Vows To Battle Trump Over Sanctuary City Policy

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Calling it part of the DNA of the city, San Francisco Ed Lee vowed Thursday to fight any attempt by President-elect Donald Trump to force the city to abandon its Sanctuary City policy.

During the recently completed campaign, Trump left little doubt about his immigration plans.

The President-elect promised to quickly put into place a tough new immigration law named after Kate Steinle -- who was killed by a bullet fired by an illegal immigrant as she walked on San Francisco's Pier 14 with her father in July 2015.

The gunman -- Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez -- had been released from San Francisco County jail days before the shooting. Instead of being turned over to federal immigration authorities for deportation, he was allowed to remain in the city under San Francisco's Sanctuary City law.

Mayor Ed Lee told reporters on Thursday he would do everything he can to keep the Sanctuary City policy in place.

"I feel being a Sanctuary City for me is in the DNA of San Francisco. It's who we are," he said. "For anybody to suggest otherwise doesn't know our city. We will always be a Sanctuary City. Yes, there are identifiable challenges ... I think it is our job to make sure we we confront these challenges ... We are not going to change who we are."

Lee had come to the press conference after several thousands high school students marched throughout San Francisco, protesting Trump's election to office.

"I have 1,000 kids in City Hall right now who took the time to come out (and protest)," he said. "They are saying thank you for being in a wonderful city like ours."

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