In recent days, Republican politicians have taken to the airwaves, threatening blue states that do not comply with the Trump administration’s harsh immigration policies with federal funding cuts.
Fox News’ Mark Levin suggested on Sunday to Donald Trump’s potential “border czar” Tom Homan that “federal funding” would be a “very, very powerful weapon” for the incoming administration.
“If you have a governor who says, ‘I am not going to cooperate, I am going to block you,’ then that state should lose a huge amount of federal funds,” Levin said. “Like the Confederacy, these states want to go their own way and do their own thing.” I think one of your strong points is that you do not want any federal funds. “Boom.”
“That is what will happen. I promise… “That is what President Trump will do,” Homan said.
Marjorie Taylor Green was asked by Fox host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday if “sanctuary states and sanctuary cities will lose their federal funding” under Trump.
Greene replied, “Yes, if they use their police officers and other resources to hide and protect illegal alien criminals, then yes.” Federal money could be taken away from those sanctuary cities and states.
A few days before that, Senator Lindsey Graham told Hannity on Fox News, “Sanctuary cities, you are on notice. We should cut off all your money.”
According to Isabela Dias of Mother Jones, more and more police departments and Democratic officials across the country are “speaking out” about their plans to stop Trump’s plans to deport a lot of people by declaring a national emergency and sending in the military.
Politico reports that Democratic attorneys general are “preparing briefs and analyses and even identifying courts in which to file their lawsuits” in preparation for the new administration’s immigration policy.
They are also “preparing to fight Trump over withholding federal funding from local law enforcement agencies in an attempt to get them to carry out deportations.”
Members of the so-called “states’ rights” party’s threats are similar to Trump’s promise during his first term to cut off funding to sanctuary cities.
According to Politifact, he broke that promise because he could only use Justice Department funds and even those attempts were stopped by the courts.
