OAN Staff Cory Hawkins
6:50 PM – Wednesday, January 14, 2026
President Donald Trump announced plans to end federal funding to sanctuary cities and states beginning in February, citing jurisdictions that protect criminals and fuel fraud and crime. The move comes amid ongoing immigration crackdowns throughout the country.
While speaking at the Detroit Economic Club on Tuesday, Trump accused states that contain sanctuary cities of fostering fraud, crime, and violence, stating they are “protecting criminals at the expense of American citizens.” This announcement expands on past promises from Trump during his first term, not just targeting individual cities but entire states that host illegal aliens.
“Starting February 1, we are not making any payments to sanctuary cities or states having sanctuary cities because they do everything possible to protect criminals at the expense of American citizens,” Trump said during his address.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s list specifies sanctuary jurisdictions in 12 states—California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington—along with the District of Columbia.
Sanctuary cities include:
- Albuquerque, NM
- Berkeley, CA
- Boston, MA
- Chicago, IL
- Denver, CO
- East Lansing, MI
- Hoboken, NJ
- Jersey City, NJ
- Los Angeles, CA
- New Orleans, LA
- New York City, NY
- Newark, NJ
- Paterson, NJ
- Philadelphia, PA
- Portland, OR
- Rochester, NY
- Seattle, WA
- San Francisco, CA
In a related development, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration’s freeze on about $10 billion in funding for programs like childcare subsidies, citing immediate harm to the five states involved and questioning the policy’s legality.
The announcement was made amid escalating tensions between liberals and immigration enforcement officers, including clashes in Minneapolis and Portland. Trump did not specify which exact federal funds would be slashed, but transportation, housing, education, and public safety are all speculated to be impacted.
A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from stopping subsidies tied to childcare funding in five states, including Minnesota, amid allegations of widespread fraud, adding fuel to the fire.
Liberal leaders have called the plan “unconstitutional,” arguing that the funding cut violates states’ rights and could be viewed as coercive spending conditions.
Certain states, such as Minnesota, have already begun injunctions against immigration actions, and new lawsuits are imminent. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D-N.Y.), vowed to defend the state’s sanctuary status, emphasizing protection for immigrants.
Trump accused Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D-Minn.) of corruption and said the level of fraud could not have gone unnoticed by state leadership in the suspected $9 billion scandal.
“We have also suspended payments tied to suspected scammers in Minnesota, of which there are many,” Trump said. “It’s a great state. It was a great state. Now it’s getting destroyed by that stupid governor.”
As of Wednesday, the White House has not released any detailed information on the plans, but the policy aligns with Trump’s promises on immigration reform. Once enacted, jurisdictions would be forced to either change their policies or locate alternative sources of funding.
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