UNITED STATES−The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Wednesday, February 26 that the Trump administration may withhold grant money previously designated for state law enforcement in states that claim sanctuary status, and refuse to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

In a unanimous decision, a three-judge panel in Manhattan, NY ruled in favor of President Donald Trump in his battle with sanctuary jurisdictions. President Trump attempted to enact policies into place in 2017, but Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington fought against the Trump administration and won prior lawsuits preventing these measures. New legislation has overturned the lower court’s ruling reversing those decisions.

Policies in cities and states that claim sanctuary status forbid law enforcement from cooperating with ICE in identifying, detaining and removing criminal illegal immigrants.

New policies require law enforcement to honor the detainers sent out by the United States Department of Justice, and take criminal illegal immigrants into custody rather than release them.

This week, ICE Acting Director Matthew Albence explained how the unprecedented crisis at the border impacted nearly every area of ICE's operations in FY19, including interior enforcement, detention capacity, transportation, removals, personnel, and overall expenditures. https://www.ice.gov/features/ERO-2019

Posted by Immigration And Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Friday, December 13, 2019

According to ICE, Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) deportation officers assigned to INTERPOL assisted in targeting and apprehending foreign fugitives or Fugitive Alien Removal cases who are wanted for crimes committed abroad and who are at-large in the U.S.

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program was created in 2006 and is offered in memory of New York City Police Officer, Edward Byrne who was shot down in the line of duty while guarding the home of a Guyanese immigrant who was cooperating with authorities in a drug trafficking operation. The grant is distributed by Congress and worth $250,000 in federal funding for state and local criminal justice efforts.