Pam Bondi Targets Sanctuary Cities In First Day As Attorney General

New Attorney General Pam Bondi got right to work and directed the Justice Department to halt federal funding to sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

“[T]he Department of Justice will ensure that, consistent with law, ‘sanctuary jurisdictions’ do not receive access to Federal funds from the Department,” a memo read, according to the New York Post.

“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.” it added.

AG Pam Bondi orders DOJ to pause all federal funding for sanctuary cities https://t.co/tFt1OAd9lO pic.twitter.com/gpIEin4G1L

— New York Post (@nypost) February 5, 2025

From the New York Post:

Both New York’s state government and New York City are sanctuary jurisdictions that do not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in deportation proceedings.

Other sanctuary states include California and Connecticut — while major cities such as Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, also have such policies.

A relatively small share of funding flows from the Justice Department to New York’s state and local governments, but the declaration could further pinch budgets already tightened to provide housing and services for the surge of migrants who arrived under former President Joe Biden’s more permissive border “parole” policies for asylum seekers.

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The memo orders an immediate 60-day pause on distribution of funds — with a report on further steps due to Bondi’s desk within 45 days. Bondi’s order also says the 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 sub-contracting or other arrangements), to removable or illegal aliens.”

It’s unclear if the action portends a broader initiative by the Trump administration to use financial leverage to force states and cities to comply with the president’s promised mass deportation of illegal immigrants.

BREAKING: AG Pam Bondi just ordered the Justice Department to freeze all funding for sanctuary cities and has instructed attorneys to begin prosecuting officials preventing ICE from doing their job.

SO IT BEGINS. LET’S FREAKIN GO! pic.twitter.com/oB8UTekATX

— George (@BehizyTweets) February 5, 2025

JUST IN: AG Pam Bondi has ordered the DOJ to pause all federal funding for sanctuary cities. pic.twitter.com/LFc6gNw98t

— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) February 5, 2025

The Daily Wire reports:

A map of sanctuary cities compiled by the Center for Immigration Studies reveals that various cities across the country, including Lansing, Michigan, New York, New York, Richmond, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland, and numerous others, refuse to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

Entire states, such as California, Washington, Oregon, Utah, and Colorado have also adopted sanctuary policies to protect illegal aliens from deportations. Counties in conservative states like Tennessee, Idaho, Wyoming, and Nebraska have adopted the policies as well, while some regional jail systems have similarly refused to comply with ICE detainer requests for illegal aliens who have been charged with a crime.

Multiple Democratic leaders of sanctuary jurisdictions spoke out against President Donald Trump’s plan to deport illegal aliens in the immediate aftermath of his November election victory, doubling down on their refusal to cooperate with ICE as the federal agents work to deport criminal illegal aliens.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey said she would “absolutely not” assist with federal deportation efforts just days after ICE agents located and arrested multiple illegal aliens who are accused of raping children.

Denver’s Democrat Mayor Mike Johnston indicated that he would use police to keep federal immigration enforcement agents out of the city. “More than us having DPD stationed at the county line to keep them out, you would have 50,000 Denverites there,” Johnston said.

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This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

View the original article here.