The Justice Department has sent another round of letters to the so-called sanctuary cities of Seattle and Oakland and the state of Vermont demanding further proof that they are cooperating with immigration authorities.

The letters sent Thursday warn that the department could use subpoena power to force Seattle and Vermont to provide documents. The department is seeking a legal opinion from Oakland on whether its policies violate a federal statute requiring information sharing with federal immigration authorities.

The Justice Department has threatened to deny grant money to communities that refuse to share such information. It’s part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on cities and states that refuse to help enforce U.S. immigration laws.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan denounced the department’s subpoena threat Friday, saying the city complies with federal immigration law.

 
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