Trump Says Federal Funds to Sanctuary Cities Will Be Halted Beginning February 1

BY MIRABEL ODETA

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the federal government will begin halting payments to states and local jurisdictions with so-called sanctuary city policies starting February 1, though he did not provide details about which specific funds would be affected or which states and cities would be targeted. The president reiterated comments he made a day earlier, emphasizing that the administration plans to move forward with withholding federal money as part of its broader immigration enforcement strategy.

Sanctuary cities are jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, particularly when it comes to detaining or transferring undocumented immigrants. Trump has repeatedly criticized these policies, arguing that they undermine federal law and public safety. His administration has sought to use federal funding as leverage to compel state and local governments to assist in immigration enforcement.

However, the administration’s efforts have faced significant legal challenges. In August, a federal judge blocked the federal government from withholding U.S. funding from more than 30 jurisdictions that declined to cooperate with the administration’s immigration crackdown.

Those jurisdictions include major cities such as Los Angeles, Baltimore, Boston, and Chicago. The ruling followed lawsuits filed after the president issued executive orders aimed at penalizing sanctuary jurisdictions.

The injunction issued by the court applies only to the cities and counties that joined the lawsuit, and the case remains pending. As a result, the scope of the ruling is limited, leaving open the possibility that other jurisdictions could still be affected by funding cuts.

In addition to the ongoing case, several other lawsuits challenging the administration’s policies on sanctuary cities and federal funding have been filed across the country, adding further uncertainty to how and when any funding restrictions could be enforced.

Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the president’s latest remarks or on how the administration plans to implement the proposed fund