Democratic mayors and local officials assailing President Trump’s threat to cut off funding so-called “sanctuary cities” were silent when former President Obama did the same thing less than a year ago.
In July, Obama’s Justice Department, pushed by House Republicans, notified sanctuaries that they would lose some federal funding if they continued to block federal immigration authorities from seizing illegals jailed for crimes.
At the time, Texas Rep. John Culberson, who had pushed Justice to act, told Secrets:
“Today, the DOJ notified local and state law enforcement agencies across America that they will no longer be eligible for federal law enforcement grants unless they certify under oath that their local or state laws do not interfere ‘in any way’ with requests for immigration information from federal authorities.”
In a decision leading to the final action, a top Justice official told Culberson in February that the action was coming. In a letter, Assistant Attorney General Peter J. Kadzik said the department will require over 300 sanctuary cities cities, including Washington, D.C., New York and San Francisco, to abide by immigration laws or see their federal funds cut. If they are found to be in violation of federal laws, as in protecting illegal immigrants, Justice will move in with civil or criminal charges.
In his letter Culberson, Kadzik said that he will advise communities that receive federal money that they are “required to assure and certify that they are in compliance with all applicable federal laws, and will continue to be required to do so.”
But either cities didn’t believe it or knew the administration wouldn’t follow through, no major protests hit the White House. In fact, near the end of his administration, big city Democratic mayors feeling Obama was on their side begged for new protections for illegals.
Mayor Bill de Blasio and 30 other city and county leaders asked Obama to extend executive protections for illegals.
Now he and several other Democratic mayors are threatening to sue Trump who has made a similar threat to cut funding to the cities that block the federal authorities.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
