Chris Connelly/KJZZ

Greg Stanton

Phoenix officials are advising the City Council to deny a resident's petition to adopt so-called sanctuary policies to shield immigrants. 

While the City Council is scheduled to consider the petition at a meeting next Wednesday, Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton clarified the city’s position at a press conference on Friday.

“But because of [SB] 1070 as a legal matter, we can’t become a sanctuary city," he said.

A memo by the city attorney said the petition’s request is vague and amounts to asking the city and its employees to violate a requirement set by the law.

President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw federal funding from sanctuary cities.