City and state officials on Wednesday pushed back against another round of funding threats from President Donald Trump over New York’s sanctuary city status.
“Our values and our laws are not bargaining chips, and we will stand up for them even in the face of these kinds of threats,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.
The mayor went on the offensive a day after Trump said sanctuary cities and states could see federal funding cuts starting Feb. 1.
What You Need To Know
President Trump said federal payments to sanctuary cities and states could be cut starting Feb. 1
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he is making the case directly to Trump to protect New York City funding
Gov. Kathy Hochul warned the state would take legal action if federal funds are reduced
Budget experts say past funding threats have not always been carried out but warn of potential future cuts
“I will continue to make the case for New York City, and I think that’s been at the heart of every conversation that I’ve had with the president, whether it’s in the Oval Office or through the handful of texts we’ve exchanged. It’s always about making the case for this city,” Mamdani said.
The mayor said he has reached out directly to Trump to voice his opposition.
“I’ve reached out to President Trump. We haven’t yet connected,” Mamdani said.
Meanwhile, Gov. Kathy Hochul responded forcefully, warning the administration against following through on the threat.
“This is just a threat to intimidate states like New York into bowing into submission, and that is something we will never do,” Hochul said. “So I say this: You touch any more money from the state of New York, we’ll see you in court.”
Trump said Tuesday that the federal government would stop making payments to sanctuary cities and states, with the freeze set to take effect at the beginning of next month.
Andrew Rein, president of the Citizens Budget Commission, a fiscal watchdog group, cautioned that similar threats in the past have not always materialized.
“What we’ve learned over the last year is that the initial statements do not reflect the reality more often than not,” Rein said.
Rein said the federal government provides about $8 billion annually to New York City’s budget and roughly $90 billion a year to the state.
City funding supports housing, public health, emergency management and education, including public housing repairs and housing vouchers. At the state level, federal dollars largely fund Medicaid and other health care costs.
Rein said preparation will be key if the funding threat moves forward.
“You work with your partners, you work through the courts, and hopefully, if the past is prologue, these will get pushed back again,” Rein said. “But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a changing federal relationship on Medicaid and SNAP and more cuts to come when the federal government comes up with a budget.”
Amid the uncertainty, Mamdani said his administration is ready to respond.
“I am proud of the team that we have to be able to respond to these kinds of threats, so we are not simply on the defensive of what little New Yorkers are given at this moment but, frankly, advancing a larger agenda,” he said.