Trump Cracks Down On 'Sanctuary Cities' Like Chicago

CHICAGO, IL — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday that allows the federal government to withhold grant funding from "sanctuary cities" such as Chicago, which have designated themselves as safe zones for undocumented immigrants. The order was signed during a ceremony at the Department of Homeland Security.

Sanctuary cities are municipalities with established policies that don't require local agencies to go after residents based on their status as U.S. citizens. Chicago was declared a sanctuary city in 1985 when Mayor Harold Washington issued an executive order, and Mayor Richard M. Daley renewed that status in a 1989 executive order.

The executive order will "strip federal grant money from states and cities that harbor illegal immigrants," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said. "We'll prioritize the prosecution and deportation of illegal immigrants who have otherwise violated our laws."

Chicago's sanctuary city status does not protect undocumented immigrants who have committed non-immigration crimes. Police and other local law enforcement agencies still investigate and prosecute those cases that the Trump administration is prioritizing.

Sources told Patch the most likely target of funding would be the various grants given to local governments through the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security. The two departments administer billions in grants — many of which go to law enforcement agencies in the more than 300 cities and counties that have declared themselves sanctuary cities.

In Chicago's case, Trump's threat to stop federal grants flies in the face of his Tuesday night Twitter ultimatum telling city officials to fix curb crime and violence or "the Feds" would be called in. While not specifically addressing that tweet, Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Tuesday said he wished the federal government provided more support to the city, which would include funding for projects such as after-school programs for teens.

WATCH: Check out the series of executive orders President Donald Trump signed Wednesday:

Trump's crackdown on sanctuary cities doesn't come as a surprise to local and state officials. After November's election, Emanuel reinforced his administration's commitment to keeping Chicago a sanctuary city in advance of any policy changes by the then-newly elected president.

RELATED: ‘Carnage’ in Chicago a Job for the Feds, Trump Warns

"Chicago has been a city of immigrants since it was founded," Emanuel said in a statement released in November. "We have always welcomed people of all faiths and backgrounds, and while the [presidential] administration will change, our values and our commitment to inclusion will not."

At the time, Emanuel encouraged undocumented immigrants to use the 311 phone service to find information concerning support services. Later this year, Chicago’s Municipal ID program will provide city IDs so that all Chicagoans have access to official identification.

State lawmakers from the Chicago area also pushed back on the possibility of punitive measures taken against jurisdictions that maintained sanctuary status under Trump.

"Am I concerned about it …? Absolutely," U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-5th District) said in a radio interview late last year. "In the final analysis, though, I think if the president wants to do what he talks about, for example with a big infrastructure package, he's going to need support across the aisle. And if he says none for Chicago, he's not going to get any support from anybody in Chicago, frankly in the Chicagoland area."

RELATED: Chicago Will Stay a 'Sanctuary City' for Undocumented Immigrants; Will Trump Cut Federal Funds? (Video)

Chicago wouldn't be the only jurisdiction in Illinois affected by sanctions against sanctuary cities. Cicero, Evanston and Urbana maintain that status, as well as Cook and Champaign counties. Those areas also could see a loss in federal money if Trump's expected executive order goes through.

Despite a looming executive order, Trump faces challenges when it comes to effectively shutting down sanctuary cities. According to the Washington Post, the issue isn't a high priority for most Republican lawmakers, and it would face opposition by Democrats.

Patch Editor Colin Miner contributed to this story.

UPDATED: (2:13 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25)

President Donald Trump (photo via The White House)

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