State speaker inquiries about St. Petersburg as 'sanctuary city'

A powerful Republican lawmaker in Florida is calling for an investigation into two Democratic mayors for allegedly running sanctuary cities.

• State speaker inquires about St. Petersburg as 'sanctuary city'
• St. Pete, Tallahassee focus of request
• Kriseman said he's focus on St. Pete being welcoming, inclusive and legal 

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum are the focus of the request. 

House Speaker Richard Corcoran, a Republican from Land O' Lakes, sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security, asking for investigations into both cities on grounds they are operating as illegal sanctuary sites. 

Kriseman's spokesperson Ben Kirby suggested Corcoran is just trying to drum up conservative support for a future run for governor.  

"What the mayor has said consistently is that he wants to work hard to ensure St. Pete is a welcoming and inclusive and lawful city...he encourages Speaker Corcoran to focus on the same for our entire state. There's plenty of time for Republican primary politics after session," read Kirby's response, which Kriseman retweeted. 

Sanctuary cities have been classified as cities that limits its cooperation with the national government effort to enforce immigration law.