Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated on Tuesday that the White House is actively examining legal avenues to suspend federal funding for states and municipalities that refuse to collaborate with federal immigration authorities.
During a broadcast interview, Mullin highlighted the recent apprehension of over 2,100 individuals without legal status in New York. He affirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, including deportations, will proceed despite local sanctuary policies.
Literally 20 minutes ago, I was sitting in the Oval Office of the president, and we were having this conversation about how do we withhold funding legally from these sanctuary cities.
Mullin questioned the logic of providing federal funds to sanctuary jurisdictions, particularly concerning facilities like international airports where immigration policies are implemented. He remarked, "Why would we be processing immigration policies and immigrants into our state or into a city that is a sanctuary state or sanctuary city? It doesn't make any sense to me."
Federal Funding Under Review
Since President Donald Trump commenced his second term, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has initiated several deportation efforts. A recent campaign in New York, codenamed "Rotten Apple," led to more than 2,100 arrests. Mullin indicated that those detained included individuals accused of serious offenses such as murder, rape, child sexual abuse, and drug trafficking.
Mullin conveyed that President Trump is seeking methods to address this issue. "President Trump is looking for ways. He had other people that were in the Oval Office with me talking about how can we hold federal funding from these sanctuary cities that are refusing to just simply do one thing: uphold the law of the land," he explained. He emphasized that he and immigration agents do not arbitrarily choose which laws to enforce.
He further added, "I enforce the laws that Congress passed. But Congress and these other liberal politicians, these sanctuary cities and sanctuary states are the ones that are griping the loudest about the work that my [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] agents are doing every day."
Notable Arrests in New York Operation
According to DHS, among the individuals arrested during the New York operation was a Ukrainian national with prior convictions for kidnapping, abduction resulting in death, criminal possession of a weapon, and murder. Another suspect, a Colombian national, had previously been arrested for "course of sexual conduct against a child" and acting "in a manner to injure a child less than 17."