Trump administration targets, NYC, other sanctuary cities in funding freeze

Trump AG to halt funds for sanctuary cities

New Attorney General Pam Bondi has made one of her first moves to pause federal funding for sanctuary cities in the United States, including New York City. FOX 5's Jessica Formoso looks at what this could mean for the city.

NEW YORK - New Attorney General Pam Bondi has ordered the Justice Department to pause funding for so-called "sanctuary cities," a list that includes New York City.

‘Sanctuary cities’ to be cut off from federal funding

What we know:

A memo put out by Bondi says, in effect, that sanctuary cities and states that do not cooperate and interfere with immigration enforcement operations will not receive any federal funding.

Bondi has also directed a 60-day pause in distribution of funds as work is done to identify and evaluate funding agreements with non-governmental organizations that provide support to "illegal aliens."

Map of sanctuary cities and jurisdictions (Source: Immigration and Customs Enforcement Data via Center for Immigration Studies)

JUMP TO: LIST OF SANCTUARY CITIES

According to the Center for Immigration Studies, in 2023, the DOJ provided $1.56B in funding to sanctuary cities.

U.S. refugee freeze leaves Afghan allies in limbo

The Trump administration has temporarily paused Afghan refugee resettlement programs and halted Special Immigrant Visa approvals, leaving thousands of Afghans—many of whom assisted U.S. forces—stranded. Advocates and veterans are urging the government to resume the process, as families remain in limbo. FOX 5’s Teresa Priolo reports.

Courts have repeatedly upheld the legality of the range of sanctuary laws. The laws do not allow local law enforcement to actively interfere with federal operations. The first Trump White House also tried to deny public safety grants to sanctuary jurisdictions, but courts also largely rejected those attempts.

On Thursday, the Trump administration sued Chicago alleging that "sanctuary' laws in the nation's third-largest city "thwart" federal efforts to enforce immigration laws.

‘This is going to be an ongoing attack on all fronts’

What they're saying:

"Such actions could disrupt critical programs funded by federal dollars, including public safety initiatives, disaster relief, housing support and healthcare services. These cuts are not just an attack on immigrants, they are an assault on the well-being of every resident in these cities," said the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, a non-profit organization dedicated to the needs and rights of refugees and immigrants.

California Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta said he is monitoring the directive's implementation.

Are Sanctuary cities like NYC under threat?

How will President Trump’s immigration crackdown affect New York City? FOX 5’s Stephanie Bertini takes a deep dive into the uncertain future of NYC’s sanctuary city status as Trump’s new administration moves forward with mass deportation policies and tougher immigration enforcement.

"We won’t hesitate to respond if the Trump administration attempts to delay or unlawfully condition vital public safety funding for state and local law enforcement," he said in a statement.

Immigration advocates expect the administration to use a range of political tools against sanctuary jurisdictions, from legislation to Bondi’s directives to threats to restrict funding from agencies including the Department of Transportation.

"This is going to be an ongoing attack on all fronts and in multiple agencies," Kerri Talbot, the co-executive director of the Immigration Hub, a pro-immigration policy group, told reporters.

What's next:

It is unclear how this law will affect New York City.

It is known that Mayor Eric Adams has been speaking with ICE and the NYPD has been assisting ICE with those migrants with a criminal record.

Sanctuary Cities List

Sanctuary jurisdictions are listed below, via the Center for Immigration Studies.

States

California
Colorado
Connecticut
Illinois
Massachusetts
New Jersey
New York
North Dakota
Oregon
Rhode Island
Utah
Vermont
Washington

Cities and Counties

District of Columbia

Washington

Georgia

Athens-Clarke County
Atlanta
Columbia County
DeKalb County
Douglas County

Idaho

Power County

Indiana

Lake County
Monroe County
St. Joseph County

Kansas

Douglas County

Kentucky

Campbell County
Franklin County
Jefferson County
Louisville

Louisiana

New Orleans

Maine

Cumberland County
Hancock County

Maryland

Baltimore
Baltimore County
Charles County
Howard County
Hyattsville
Montgomery County
Prince George's County
Queen Anne's County
Rockville
St. Mary's County

Michigan

Kalamazoo County
Kent County
Lansing
Leelanau County
Luce County
Muskegon County
Oakland County
Washtenaw County
Wayne County
Wexford County

Minnesota

Anoka County
Cottonwood County
Dakota County
Hennepin County
Jackson County
Kandiyohi County
Lincoln County
Lyon County
Nobles County
Pipestone County
Ramsey County
Watonwan County

Nebraska

Arthur County
Banner County
Blaine County
Douglas County
Gosper County
Greeley County
Hooker County
Howard County
Logan County
McPherson County
Platte County
Sioux County

New Hampshire

Hillsborough County

New Mexico

Bernalillo County
Chaves County
Colfax County
De Baca County
Dona Ana County
Eddy County
Farmington
Grant County
Hidalgo County
Las Cruces
Lincoln County
Los Alamos County
Luna County
McKinley County
Otero County
Quay County
Rio Arriba County
Roosevelt County
San Juan County
San Miguel County
Sandoval County
Santa Fe
Santa Fe County
Sierra County
Socorro County
Taos County

New York

Albany
Albany County
Dutchess County
Monroe County
Nassau County
New York City
Orange County
Putnam County
Rockland County
Saratoga County
Suffolk County
Sullivan County
Tompkins County
Ulster County
Warren County
Wayne County
Westchester County
Yates County

North Carolina

Buncombe County
Chatham County
Durham County
Forsyth County
Guilford County
Mecklenburg County
Orange County
Wake County
Watauga County

Ohio

Franklin County
Hamilton County
Lorain County
Mahoning County

Pennsylvania

Allegheny County
Berks County
Bucks County
Chester County
Delaware County
Lancaster
Lehigh County
Montgomery County
Montour County
Northampton County
Philadelphia
Washington County
York

South Carolina

Charleston County

Tennessee

Shelby County

Virginia
* Denotes the jurisdiction is part of a regional jail system. Please click on map point for further information.

Albemarle County *
Alexandria
Alleghany County *
Amherst County *
Appomattox County *
Ashland *
Arlington County
Augusta County *
Bath County *
Bedford *
Bedford County *
Brunswick County *
Buchanan County *
Campbell County *
Caroline County
Charles City County *
Charlotte County
Charlottesville *
Chesapeake *
Chesterfield County *
Colonial Heights *
Covington *
Dickenson County *
Dinwiddie County *
Dumfries *
Emporia *
Essex County *
Fairfax County
Franklin *
Gloucester County
Greensville County *
Halifax County *
Hampton *
Hanover County *
Harrisonburg *
Haymarket *
Hopewell *
Isle of Wight County *
James City County *
King and Queen County *
King William County *
Lee County *
Loudoun County
Lynchburg *
Manassas *
Manassas Park *
Martinsville
Mathews County *
Mecklenburg County *
Middlesex County *
Nelson County *
Newport News
Norfolk *
Northumberland County *
Norton *
Occoquan *
Petersburg *
Poquoson *
Portsmouth City *
Prince George County *
Prince William County *
Quantico *
Rappahannock County *
Richmond
Richmond County *
Rockingham County *
Russell County *
Scott County *
Shenandoah County *
Smyth County *
Southampton County
Staunton *
Suffolk *
Surry County *
Tazewell County *
Virginia Beach *
Warren County *
Warsaw *
Washington County *
Waynesborough *
Westmoreland County *
Williamsburg *
Wise County *
York County *