Denver passes immigrant protections amid White House threats

DENVER (AP) - Denver's City Council has approved an ordinance aimed at protecting immigrants amid White House threats to revoke federal money from so-called sanctuary cities - but the effort falls short of legal challenges to those threats by Chicago, San Francisco and other cities.

Denver's ordinance, which passed Monday on a 10-0 vote, largely sets into law what is current practice. It's designed to reassure the city's immigrants while not formally declaring Colorado's capital a sanctuary city.

President Donald Trump has made it a top priority to revoke federal dollars from so-called sanctuary cities, broadly defined as places that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Trump says he believes such cities and counties are providing a haven for criminal activity.

Chicago has filed a federal lawsuit targeting new conditions for the federal aid. Lawsuits over constitutional concerns also have been filed in San Francisco, Seattle and other cities.