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President Donald Trump delivered a blunt warning to defiant blue-state leaders on Tuesday: Starting February 1, their sanctuary policies will cost them billions in federal dollars.
"Starting February 1, we’re not making any payments to sanctuary cities or states having sanctuary cities because they do everything possible to protect criminals at the expense of American citizens," Trump declared during a speech at the Detroit Economic Club. "It breeds fraud and crime and all of the other problems that come. So we’re not making any payment to anybody that supports sanctuary cities."
The announcement targets jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration agents, including refusing to honor ICE detainers.
A Justice Department list from August identifies 12 states—among them California, Illinois, and New York—plus major cities such as New York City as sanctuary areas.
Advocates insist these policies encourage crime victims to report offenses without fear. Critics counter that the measures shield violent offenders from deportation.
Details remain unclear on the scope of the cuts, including whether essential programs like Medicaid or food stamps face exemptions.
The move fits a pattern in Trump's second term, where the administration has aggressively pursued enforcement.
Attorney General Pam Bondi throttled federal law enforcement resources to sanctuary jurisdictions last February.
This month, the Department of Health and Human Services froze social services funding—including Child Care and Development Fund, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and Social Services Block Grant dollars—to five Democratic-led states (California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York) over fraud concerns in state-administered programs.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to withhold funds from uncooperative areas, including during 2020 unrest.
This time, the president appears determined to follow through.
Enough is enough. Sanctuary politicians have treated American taxpayers as an endless ATM while shielding criminal aliens and enabling fraud. February 1 marks the day the free ride ends. Law-abiding citizens deserve protection, not betrayal from their own leaders
