By Emma Nguyen
On Tuesday, Jan. 13, during a speech at the Detroit Economic Club, President Donald Trump announced his administration may deny federal funding to sanctuary states resisting his immigration policies starting Feb. 1, expanding his crackdown on immigration.
The Department of Justice has declared 11 states as “sanctuary jurisdictions” including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
WHAT ARE SANCTUARY STATES?
While there are no specific policies or definition for sanctuary states, they are typically associated with the lack of cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Sanctuary states prohibit state and local officials from unlawfully questioning and sharing people’s immigration status with federal authorities. In addition, the jurisdiction prohibits local jails working alongside federal agents to be repurposed as detainment centers for arrests.
In 2018, the city of Fountain Valley solidified its disapproval of the California “sanctuary laws” and joined a federal lawsuit challenging the 2017 California Values Act, a law that prevented officials from using local resources to assist federal immigration enforcement, alongside many other Orange County cities including Huntington Beach and Westminster. Fountain Valley’s city council continues to openly support federal immigration laws and cooperate with federal authorities.
Currently, no Orange County city has successfully won a lawsuit challenging sanctuary laws. Specifically, a judge dismissed a lawsuit from Huntington Beach in December of 2025.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S PLANS
Despite disapproval by the courts, the Trump Administration has already begun their efforts in denying federal funding. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has warned states that refuse to provide data on participants of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will receive less funding.
Earlier this year, Trump announced his plans to withhold $10 billion worth in federal child-care and welfare services in 5 Democratic-led states, including California, for reasons of fraud. The U.S. Department of Health and Social Service accused these 5 states of distributing benefits to people illegally without evidence or causation. The freeze would prevent assistance to low-income families and is said to be motivated towards Democratic states. California Governor Gavin Newsom and other federal officials have expressed strong disapproval towards the Trump Administration’s plans, accusing Trump of using false claims to halt funding.
