Attorney General Pam Bondi Cuts Federal Funding to Sanctuary Cities
Attorney General Pam Bondi has ordered the immediate suspension of federal funding for sanctuary cities and investigations into jurisdictions obstructing deportation efforts, marking a shift in immigration policy.
Newly sworn-in Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered federal funding to be cut off from all cities that hold a "sanctuary" status on Wednesday.
"[T]he Department of Justice will ensure that, consistent with law, 'sanctuary jurisdictions' do not perceive access to Federal funds from the Department," she wrote.
"Consistent with applicable statutes, regulations, court orders, and terms, the Department of Justice shall pause the distribution of all funds until a review has been completed, terminate any agreements that are in violation of law or are the source of waste, fraud, or abuse, and initiate clawback or recoupment procedures, where appropriate," Bondi continued.
Major cities with sanctuary laws include Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and San Diego, among others.
Bondi's order is set to take effect immediately, pausing the distribution of federal funds for 60 days, adding that the Department of Justice (DoJ) "shall not enter into any new contract, grant, or other agreement to provide Federal funding to non-governmental organizations that support or provide services, either directly or indirectly (e.g., through subcontracting or other arrangements) to removable or illegal aliens."
Trump's new attorney general has also ordered the DoJ to investigate incidents of jurisdictions actively working against federal law enforcement to prosecute those impeding deportation efforts.
The Justice Department previously provided $1.56 billion in federal grants to sanctuary cities in 2023 under the Biden administration, according to data by the Center for Immigration Studies.
ICE has been able to arrest over 8,000 illegal aliens since Trump took office, marking a drastic shift in immigration policy following Biden's loose border policies.
Additionally, Bondi revealed that the Trump administration will end the moratorium that the Biden administration previously endorsed on federal executions while also "re-evaluating instances of the prior administration's election not to seek the death penalty."
Bondi announced plans to "completely eliminate" the cartel threat by temporarily suspending "bureaucratic approvals and reviews," expediting the process of capturing dangerous criminals involved in egregious criminal activity.
Bondi noted that Joint Task Force Vulcan, which was created in 2019 to target MS-13, will be "further empowered and elevated" within Bondi's DoJ, expanding the scope of the task force to turn their sights to Tren de Aragua, a dangerous Venezuelan gang which has factions within the U.S.
