Trump vows to withhold federal funds from sanctuary cities and states
- - Trump vows to withhold federal funds from sanctuary cities and states
Joey Garrison, USA TODAYJanuary 14, 2026 at 5:48 AM
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WASHINGTON ‒ President Donald Trump said he plans to withhold federal funds from so-called sanctuary cities and states that have them, seeking to punish jurisdictions that don't cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
Trump announced the step in a Jan. 13 speech to the Detroit Economic Club in Michigan, saying that his administration won't make "any payments to sanctuary cities or states having cities" starting on Feb. 1, "because they do everything possible to protect criminals at the expense of American citizens."
The move comes as Trump defends his administration's aggressive immigration enforcement amid protests that mobilized after a woman was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent last week in Minneapolis.
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1 / 10Federal agents continue surge of immigration enforcement in MinnesotaUS Customs and Border Protection agents arrest a man after not providing documents proving he's a citizen of the United States while patrolling a neighborhood during immigration enforcement activity in Minneapolis in Minneapolis, Minn. on Jan. 11, 2026. A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good on the streets of Minneapolis on Jan. 7, leading to huge protests and outrage from local leaders who rejected White House claims she was a domestic terrorist.
The Justice Department has designated 11 states, as well as the District of Columbia, "sanctuary jurisdictions": California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Ten of the 11 states have Democratic governors.
Eighteen cities are considered "sanctuary jurisdictions" by the Justice Department, including New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, New Orleans, Denver, and Portland, Oregon. Four county governments have the status.
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President Donald Trump speaks at the Detroit Economic Club in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., January 13, 2026.
Trump announced the new policy as he railed on Somali-Americans in Minnesota who were charged in a sprawling $250 million fraud case involving state-administered programs. Trump said he is also providing "90-day notices" to states, such as California, that "bill the federal government" for costs associated with addressing the needs of immigrants.
The president said his administration has suspended nearly 8,000 federal loans administered through the Small Business Administration to "suspected scammers in Minnesota."
Trump could face legal hurdles in his effort to punish sanctuary cities, as a federal judge in San Francisco blocked the administration from withholding federal funding from 16 sanctuary jurisdictions in April 2025.
More: Judge blocks Trump from withholding funds from 16 'sanctuary' cities, counties
There's no legal definition of a sanctuary jurisdiction, but the Justice Department said it considered things like failure to collaborate with ICE agents, providing government benefits to undocumented immigrants, or refusing to share immigration information about jail detainees.
In August, Attorney General Pam Bondi singled out sanctuary jurisdictions across the country and threatened litigation, writing in a statement that, "Sanctuary policies impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk by design." The Trump administration promptly filed lawsuits targeting immigration policies in Minnesota, New York City and other jurisdictions.
Contributing: Trevor Hughes of USA TODAY
Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says he's withholding funds from sanctuary cities and states
Source: “AOL Breaking”
