‘They should change their status and go non-Sanctuary. Do not protect criminals!’
(Claire Russel, Liberty Headlines) President Donald Trump announced this week that his administration will begin withholding federal funds from sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration officials.
As per recent Federal Court ruling, the Federal Government will be withholding funds from Sanctuary Cities. They should change their status and go non-Sanctuary. Do not protect criminals!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 5, 2020
The announcement followed a ruling by the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals last week that declared the Trump administration does, in fact, have the right to withhold funding from cities and states that refuse to work with government agencies.
The three-judge panel in Manhattan found Congress had delegated authority to the U.S. attorney general to set conditions on federal grant programs—in this case, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.
The 2nd Circuit also noted that the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly observed that the federal government maintains broad power over states when it comes to immigration policies.
One of those conditions is now cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to the Justice Department.
More than seven sanctuary states and cities sued the DOJ in 2017 when former Attorney General Jeff Sessions first tried to withhold funds from local governments that refused to give ICE access to law enforcement data bases.
Multiple circuit courts sided with the states, but the federal appeals court concluded that Trump is in the right.
Sanctuary states and cities, such as New York City, can now expect to lose funding from the Edward Byrne grant, through which Congress dispenses more than $250 million to state and local criminal justice efforts. The Trump administration has also threatened to slash federal funding in other way—a move New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently complained about.
“This is not just the federal government taking an isolated action that is hurting the state,” Cuomo said last week after the state lost a federal health-care grant worth $600 million this year.
“There is a continued pattern and series of these actions,” he griped. “Connect the dots and you see the line.”