NEW YORK, CMC – A Caribbean immigration advocate has denounced plans announced by President Donald Trump to strip federal funding for sanctuary cities. Sanctuary cities are local jurisdictions that restrict cooperation with federal immigration enforcement to protect undocumented Caribbean and other immigrants.
The jurisdictions often prevent local police from inquiring into the immigration status of Caribbean and other immigrants or from honoring specific federal detention requests.
On Tuesday, Trump announced that he will no longer provide federal funding for “sanctuary cities or states” starting February 1, 2026.
“This announcement is another example of the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to punish jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with its deportation agenda,” Murad Awawdeh, president and chief executive officer of the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
NYIC is an umbrella policy and advocacy organization that represents over 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups throughout New York State.
“Punishing states and cities that refuse to participate in the federal government’s inhumane attacks on immigrants is simply a playground bullying tactic. New York’s hardworking families, children, and elderly will pay the price if Trump gets his way.
“Federal funding belongs to us all, as part of our government’s responsibility to ensure needs like healthcare, education, infrastructure, and public safety are met. We expect New York City and other sanctuary jurisdictions to call this bully’s bluff by litigating this egregious violation of our City and State’s 10th Amendment rights and the federal government’s responsibility to provide essential services to all counties, cities, and states,” said Awawdeh.
He recalled the statement made by New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday during her State of the State address: “We don’t back down, we rise! We will not bow to a wannabe king.”
In her address, the governor announced that New York will not allow the use of State resources to assist in federal immigration raids on people who have not committed serious crimes.”
Hochul also pledged to protect communities from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) abuse and hold federal officers accountable when they violate New Yorkers’ constitutional rights.
Awawdeh said the governor’s address comes as New Yorkers confront an intensifying crisis fueled by the Trump administration, including cuts to essential public services, an affordability crisis, and “a dangerous escalation of its mass deportation campaign.”
“As federal overreach escalates and ICE targets immigrants in their homes and workplaces with impunity, New Yorkers are paying the price through broken families and destabilized communities. New York has a clear opportunity and responsibility to lead by protecting its people and its economy.
“We thank Governor Hochul for committing to not using state resources for federal immigration enforcement, and New York For All is the comprehensive bill that will end collusion with ICE without a judicial warrant,” Awawdeh added.
He said as the federal government accelerates its aggressive deportation machine, New York must protect due process by meeting the historic surge in legal needs.
“We are calling for full funding of immigrant legal services at US$175 million and the passage of the Access to Representation and BUILD Acts to ensure every New Yorker has a fighting chance to stay with their families and in their communities.”
Trump told the Detroit Economic Club in Michigan that his administration will not make “any payments to sanctuary cities or states having cities”, effective February 1, “because they do everything possible to protect criminals at the expense of American citizens.”
In April last year, a federal judge in San Francisco prohibited the Trump administration from withholding federal funding from 16 sanctuary jurisdictions.
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