BOSTON — Sanctuary cities across Massachusetts and the U.S. are facing threats of losing federal funding from President-elect Donald Trump and advisors.
Boston is among a list of eight sanctuary cities in the Commonwealth, and that could soon grow to nine as Natick town leaders consider “sanctuary city policies.”
Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has outlined the cuts she envisions targeting more than 100 sanctuary cities across the country.
Greene is the incoming chair of a newly created subcommittee, working alongside the Department of Government Efficiency, which will focus on lowering federal spending.
“If these Democrat governors and mayors want to use their federal dollars, and they want to use this funding to harbor illegal criminal aliens, then yeah, we’re coming after their money, and they don’t deserve a single penny of it,” said Rep. Greene.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said Boston is in tune with following the laws associated with federal funding.
“We are a country of laws, and we are working very closely to make sure the city is always moving where we can to follow the laws associated with any federal funding,” Mayor Wu said on Monday.
Mayor Wu faced backlash last week from President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming border czar Tom Homan over Boston’s sanctuary city status.
She pointed to the the Trust Act that’s been on the books in Boston for a decade.
The ordinance does not allow police to cooperate with federal immigration and customs enforcement on criminal investigations.
Wu is not wavering on her promise to protect hardworking law-abiding immigrants and has been focused on securing federal resources before January.
“In my recent trip to DC, I did have the chance to meet with some of the White House officials who focus on federal grants to cities and talked about the grants that Boston has been awarded and what that will look like over the next couple weeks,” she said.
Immigration advocates told Boston 25 News they are concerned that there will be a risk to federal funds as a method of retaliation once Trump takes office.
During his first term, Trump attempted to withhold funding from sanctuary cities by signing an executive order that cut funding to them, but it was blocked by federal courts.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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