President Donald Trump said Tuesday that beginning Feb. 1, his administration will deny federal funding not only to sanctuary cities but also to states that contain local governments resisting federal immigration enforcement.
Speaking at the Detroit Economic Club, Trump said jurisdictions with sanctuary policies protect criminals at the expense of public safety and contribute to fraud and crime. He did not specify which federal funds would be affected but later told reporters the cuts would be “significant.”
Sanctuary policies generally refer to limits on cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, though there is no formal definition. Similar attempts by Trump in 2017 and again last year were blocked by federal courts, which ruled that withholding funds without clear congressional authorization was unlawful.
The Justice Department has previously identified dozens of sanctuary jurisdictions, largely in Democrat-led states and cities such as California, New York, Connecticut, Boston, and Cook County, Illinois. That list replaced an earlier version after criticism over unclear criteria.
The administration has recently threatened or attempted to halt funding in several areas, including nutrition assistance, childcare subsidies, agriculture programs, and Medicaid funding, actions that have already triggered multiple legal challenges. Courts have temporarily blocked some of those efforts, and additional lawsuits are expected if the proposed sanctuary-related funding cuts move forward.