- On her first day as U.S. attorney general, Pam Bondi paused federal funding for sanctuary cities pending a review of legal compliance. Sanctuary laws limit a city’s local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
- The DOJ provides grants for law enforcement and community programs. Cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles have sanctuary policies in place.
- Bondi’s memo emphasizes President Trump’s priority of securing borders and enforcing immigration laws.
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On her first day in office, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered a pause in federal funding from the Justice Department for sanctuary cities, pending a review of any agreements that may violate the law.
Sanctuary laws limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. They essentially prevent agencies from using local resources to detain or identify individuals based on immigration status.
Major cities such as New York, Chicago and Los Angeles have sanctuary policies in place.
“To protect the American people from the effects of unlawful mass migration, President Trump has prioritized securing our nation’s border and enforcing federal immigration laws,” a memo from Bondi’s office states. “In furtherance of that objective, the Department of Justice will ensure that, consistent with law, ‘sanctuary jurisdictions’ do not receive access to federal funds from the Department.”
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) provides federal funds to American cities to support law enforcement, community safety and justice system improvements.
A few examples include the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program, which supports police operations, prevention efforts, technology improvements and drug treatment programs, as well as the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) grants, which support programs aimed at reducing domestic violence and sexual assault, among others.
President Trump and “border czar” Tom Homan’s mass deportation plans are underway. The initial focus is on arresting migrants with a criminal history who are residing in the country illegally.
Homan said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will carry out raids in sanctuary cities and states and that federal agents will enforce immigration laws, whether sanctuary jurisdictions comply with federal orders or not.
It’s unclear if Bondi’s memo signals a larger effort to use financial incentives to pressure states and cities into supporting Trump’s mass deportation goals.
Bondi also directed the DOJ to coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security to “completely eliminate” cartels.
