DHS Boss Reveals Trump Plan to Withhold Federal Funding From Sanctuary Cities After Massive New York ICE Bust

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin says President Donald Trump is preparing to intensify pressure on sanctuary jurisdictions by withholding federal funding from cities and states that refuse to cooperate with immigration enforcement.

Mullin revealed the administration’s plans following an Oval Office meeting with Trump as federal authorities celebrated the results of a massive immigration operation across New York.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 2,063 illegal migrants during the monthlong crackdown known as “Operation Rotten Apple,” according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Federal officials said roughly 70% of those arrested had criminal convictions or pending criminal charges, including individuals accused or convicted of serious violent and sexual offenses.

The operation stretched across New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley and upstate communities as ICE officers targeted illegal migrants wanted for removal.

Mullin said the results demonstrate the consequences of sanctuary policies that restrict cooperation between local authorities and federal immigration officers.

According to the DHS secretary, the administration intends to start withholding federal dollars from jurisdictions that continue refusing to cooperate with ICE.

Mullin said the issue was discussed directly with Trump inside the Oval Office and that additional details about the administration’s funding strategy are expected to be announced.

The administration has repeatedly argued that sanctuary policies make immigration enforcement more dangerous by preventing local jails from transferring removable illegal migrants directly into federal custody.

Instead, ICE officers can be forced to locate suspects after they have been released back into communities, requiring agents to conduct arrests in homes, neighborhoods, workplaces and other public locations.

Mullin said the administration wants local officials to honor ICE detainers and cooperate when federal authorities seek custody of illegal migrants, particularly those with serious criminal histories.

New York has become one of the biggest battlegrounds in Trump’s nationwide immigration crackdown as Democratic officials continue resisting several elements of the administration’s enforcement strategy.

The state recently enacted additional restrictions limiting how local law enforcement agencies can work with federal immigration authorities, prompting a lawsuit from a group of New York sheriffs.

Trump officials argue that jurisdictions should not expect to receive billions of dollars from Washington while simultaneously adopting policies that obstruct federal immigration enforcement.

Any attempt to broadly withhold federal funding is likely to trigger immediate legal challenges. Courts have previously placed limits on the federal government’s ability to condition unrelated funding on local compliance with immigration policies.

The administration, however, appears prepared for another court fight as it looks for additional leverage over sanctuary jurisdictions.

Mullin also defended ICE agents amid increasingly heated criticism from Democratic politicians and immigration activists, arguing that federal officers are simply carrying out laws enacted by Congress.

The White House sees Operation Rotten Apple as evidence supporting its case. With more than 2,000 arrests in New York — many involving migrants with criminal records or pending charges — Trump officials say sanctuary policies are protecting the wrong people.

Now the administration is preparing to attach a financial cost to that resistance, signaling that cities and states refusing to cooperate with ICE could soon find federal funding on the chopping block.