Trump to cut federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions from Feb. 1

By Fatma Zehra Solmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) - US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his administration will suspend federal funding for sanctuary cities and states starting Feb. 1, as part of its ongoing immigration crackdown.

"EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY FIRST, NO MORE PAYMENTS WILL BE MADE BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO STATES FOR THEIR CORRUPT CRIMINAL PROTECTION CENTERS KNOWN AS SANCTUARY CITIES. ALL THEY DO IS BREED CRIME AND VIOLENCE! If States want them, they will have to pay for them! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!," Trump wrote on his social media platform known as Truth Social.

Sanctuary cities typically enforce policies that limit how much local law enforcement can cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

The US Department of Justice has designated 11 states as sanctuary jurisdictions, including California, Illinois, Minnesota and New York, with the District of Columbia also listed as a sanctuary jurisdiction.

The move follows the fatal shooting of a US citizen in Minneapolis by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, an incident that has sparked political backlash and calls for state officials to be involved in the FBI’s investigation.

Trump administration officials later described the victim, Renee Good, as a domestic terrorist.