Trump eyes federal grant cuts to pressure police in mass deportation plan

Former US President Donald Trump 's team is exploring the possibility of denying federal police funding to local law enforcement agencies that refuse to participate in his planned deportation efforts if re-elected, according to reports from three sources close to his campaign.

This strategy could face legal opposition, similar to challenges encountered during his previous administration, according to a report from NBC News. The sources emphasised that final plans remain subject to Trump 's official announcement.

When contacted, the Trump campaign provided no response to inquiries.

The campaign sources expressed confidence that this approach would withstand legal scrutiny and compel Democratic-controlled jurisdictions to cooperate with mass deportation efforts.

Ron Vitiello, former acting ICE director under Trump, shared insights about previous challenges, saying, "The Justice Department was going to withhold grant money. They didn't get to enjoy, if you will, or participate in that fully."

Currently, sanctuary jurisdictions such as Chicago and California do not notify ICE about encounters with undocumented immigrants. These locations typically release undocumented individuals back into their communities after serving sentences, rather than transferring them to ICE custody.

Trump has said that upon returning to office, he would initiate immediate nationwide operations to detain undocumented immigrants, prioritising those with criminal records or standing deportation orders.