The Maine Wire
  • News
  • Commentary
  • The Blog
  • About
    • Contact
  • Investigations
    • Data
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending News
  • Federal Judge Blocks Trump Admin’s Efforts to Dismantle U.S. Department of Education
  • “One Big Beautiful Bill” of Tax and Spending Provisions Passes House in Late Night Vote, Condemned by Maine Reps Golden and Pingree
  • Supreme Court Split Over Nation’s First Catholic Charter School, Oklahoma Court’s Ban Stands
  • Dems Kill Baldacci Bill to Increase Penalties for Parents Who Expose Kids to Fentanyl
  • Mills Virtue-Signals Against Trump Tariffs with New Welcome Signs for Canadians
  • South Portland Police Negotiator Saves 20-Year-Old in Crisis from “Suicide by Cop” Threat
  • Fatal Crash in Lewiston: Car Slams into Home, Killing One and Injuring Two
  • Maine Democrats Seek to Shield Portland’s Welfare Spending on Homeless Shelters from DHHS Rule Change
Facebook Twitter Instagram
The Maine Wire
Friday, May 23
  • News
  • Commentary
  • The Blog
  • About
    • Contact
  • Investigations
    • Data
The Maine Wire
Home » News » News » Justice Department Spent $300 Million in 2021 Subsidizing Sanctuary Cities: Report
News

Justice Department Spent $300 Million in 2021 Subsidizing Sanctuary Cities: Report

Edward TomicBy Edward TomicJuly 13, 2023Updated:July 13, 2023No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Reddit
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

Department of Justice (DOJ) grant programs fund sanctuary states and localities that undermine immigration law and protect illegal aliens from federal authorities, according to a new report released Wednesday by the Center for Immigration Studies.

[RELATED: Bad Food, No Showers: Migrants Protest Outside Portland Expo Over “Awful Conditions,” Uncertain Future Benefits]

The report focuses on three federal funding programs— the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), the Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (JAG), and the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program.

More than 40 percent of the available funds across these three programs were awarded to sanctuary cities, despite having adopted policies that hinder immigration law enforcement by federal agencies.

The Center for Immigration Studies found that nearly $300 million was allocated to sanctuary jurisdictions in 2021 alone.

The top recipients of the DOJ funds include Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

Portland, Maine, received $207,004 in 2021 from the COPS program to help fund community policing efforts, according to the report.

Portland codified its status as a sanctuary city in 2017, under an ordinance which directed local authorities not to comply with federal immigration detainers of criminal aliens.

[RELATED: Maine at the Crossroads: Mainers First or Mainers Last?]

President Donald Trump used an executive order in 2017 to block sanctuary jurisdictions from receiving federal funds until they complied with federal immigration law.

This led several jurisdictions, such as Miami-Dade County in Florida, to change their policies, while others refused to change and filed federal lawsuits.

In 2021, President Joe Biden rescinded the Trump-era rules barring sanctuary jurisdictions from receiving federal funds.

“These sanctuary policies, many of which have been found to be a violation of federal law, protect illegal aliens who have been arrested and flagged by ICE for removal. So the sanctuary policies are protecting criminal aliens, not asylum seekers,” said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies for the Center for Immigration Studies.

Vaughan recommends that “Congress should restrict eligibility for SCAAP funding to those jurisdictions that actively participate in immigration law enforcement programs such as Secure Communities, the Criminal Alien Program, or the 287(g) program.”

SCAAP reimburses state and local prisons and jails for a portion of the cost of incarcerating illegal aliens who were held on state or local charges.

58 percent of the SCAAP funding in 2021 went to sanctuary jurisdictions.

“States can follow the example of Texas, Florida, and eight other states which penalize or prohibit local sanctuary policies,” Vaughan added.

According to the Center for Immigration Studies, certain policies adopted by sanctuary jurisdictions are in violation of federal law (8 USC 1373 and 1644), which prohibits any government entity or official from restricting local officials from communicating with federal immigration authorities about an individual’s immigration status.

Previous ArticlePortland Officials Meet With Asylum Seekers for Second Closed-Door Meeting Regarding Post-Expo Housing Arrangements
Next Article Plastic Surgeon Who Livestreamed Procedures on TikTok Has License Permanently Revoked
Edward Tomic

Edward Tomic is a reporter for The Maine Wire based in Southern Maine. He grew up near Boston, Massachusetts and is a graduate of Boston University. He can be reached at tomic@themainewire.com

Subscribe to Substack

Related Posts

Federal Judge Blocks Trump Admin’s Efforts to Dismantle U.S. Department of Education

May 22, 2025

“One Big Beautiful Bill” of Tax and Spending Provisions Passes House in Late Night Vote, Condemned by Maine Reps Golden and Pingree

May 22, 2025

Supreme Court Split Over Nation’s First Catholic Charter School, Oklahoma Court’s Ban Stands

May 22, 2025

Leave A Reply

Subscribe to Substack
Recent News

Federal Judge Blocks Trump Admin’s Efforts to Dismantle U.S. Department of Education

May 22, 2025

“One Big Beautiful Bill” of Tax and Spending Provisions Passes House in Late Night Vote, Condemned by Maine Reps Golden and Pingree

May 22, 2025

Supreme Court Split Over Nation’s First Catholic Charter School, Oklahoma Court’s Ban Stands

May 22, 2025

Dems Kill Baldacci Bill to Increase Penalties for Parents Who Expose Kids to Fentanyl

May 22, 2025

Mills Virtue-Signals Against Trump Tariffs with New Welcome Signs for Canadians

May 22, 2025
Newsletter

News

  • News
  • Campaigns & Elections
  • Opinion & Commentary
  • Media Watch
  • Education
  • Media

Maine Wire

  • About the Maine Wire
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Submit Commentary
  • Complaints
  • Maine Policy Institute

Resources

  • Maine Legislature
  • Legislation Finder
  • Get the Newsletter
  • Maine Wire TV

Facebook Twitter Instagram Steam RSS
  • Post Office Box 7829, Portland, Maine 04112

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.