Trump Threatens to Cut Unspecified Federal Payments to Sanctuary Jurisdictions by Feb. 1 Despite Prior Court Blocks
President Trump has threatened to withhold unspecified federal payments to jurisdictions he labels "sanctuary" beginning Feb. 1, echoing remarks at the Detroit Economic Club and an August executive order directing DOJ and DHS to compile lists and cut funds. The threat comes after DOJ identified more than 30 jurisdictions (including Minnesota), even as a federal judge has enjoined the administration from withholding funds from 16 jurisdictions, and has provoked local backlash such as a Hennepin County committee resolution condemning ICE and calling for its removal amid reports of an additional 1,000 ICE agents being deployed to the Minneapolis area.
📌 Key Facts
- President Trump has threatened to cut unspecified federal payments to so-called 'sanctuary' jurisdictions by Feb. 1, framing the threat at the Detroit Economic Club as aimed at places that 'do everything possible to protect criminals' and saying 'we're not making any payment to anybody that supports sanctuary cities.'
- The threat follows a Trump executive order from nearly a year ago directing DOJ and DHS to identify 'sanctuary' jurisdictions and withhold federal funds; in August DOJ published a list of more than 30 cities, states and counties it labeled sanctuary jurisdictions, which included the state of Minnesota but did not include Minneapolis, St. Paul or their counties.
- Federal courts have blocked the administration's attempts to withhold funds: Judge William Orrick issued and extended an injunction preventing the administration from cutting federal funding to 16 jurisdictions, reasoning the threatened cuts cause 'irreparable injury' through budgetary uncertainty, constitutional deprivations and damage to trust between local governments and their communities.
- There is no precise legal definition of 'sanctuary city'; courts have held that while localities cannot bar federal agents from operating, they may decline certain forms of cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
- In the Minneapolis area, the Hennepin County Administration, Operations and Budget Committee unanimously approved a resolution condemning ICE and calling for removal of ICE personnel and assets from Minnesota; the committee vice chair, Debbie Goettel, said DHS is sending an additional 1,000 ICE agents to the Minneapolis metro area, calling it the largest deployment of DHS resources in U.S. history 'anywhere,' and the resolution will go to the full Hennepin County Board for a formal adoption vote on Jan. 27 — a local development that Fox News explicitly tied to Trump's Feb. 1 withholding threat.
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 24, 2026
January 17, 2026
10:00 AM
Trump is threatening to cut funding from sanctuary cities. Here's what to know
New information:
- Details that DOJ in August published a list of more than 30 cities, states and counties it labeled sanctuary jurisdictions, including Minnesota but not Minneapolis, St. Paul or their counties.
- Fresh Trump remarks at the Detroit Economic Club framing the threat as aimed at jurisdictions that 'do everything possible to protect criminals' and vowing 'we're not making any payment to anybody that supports sanctuary cities.'
- Explanation that this latest threat follows a Trump executive order from nearly a year ago directing DOJ and DHS to list sanctuary jurisdictions and withhold funds, and that Judge William Orrick has since issued and extended an injunction blocking the administration from withholding federal funds from 16 jurisdictions.
- Orrick’s reasoning that the threatened funding cuts cause 'irreparable injury' via budgetary uncertainty, constitutional deprivations and damaged trust between local governments and their communities.
- Clarification that there is no precise legal definition of 'sanctuary city'; instead, courts have held that while locals cannot block federal agents from operating, they can decline certain forms of cooperation with immigration enforcement.
January 14, 2026
12:49 AM
Minneapolis-area leaders condemn ICE, call for removal amid Trump deportation campaign
New information:
- Hennepin County Administration, Operations and Budget Committee unanimously approved a resolution condemning ICE and calling for removal of ICE personnel and assets from Minnesota.
- Committee vice chair Debbie Goettel said DHS is sending an additional 1,000 ICE agents to the Minneapolis metro area, calling it the largest deployment of DHS resources in U.S. history 'anywhere.'
- The resolution will go to the full Hennepin County Board for a formal adoption vote on Jan. 27.
- Article links Trump’s Feb. 1 threat to withhold federal 'payments' from sanctuary jurisdictions directly to the Minnesota situation and this local push to expel ICE.
January 13, 2026