DHS Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen granted $1.7 Billion of federal funding to sanctuary cities, despite the Trump Administration's public objection to funding jurisdictions that do not fully cooperate with immigration law enforcement.
According to three sources, including two former DHS employees, Sec. Nielsen made the decision to authorize funds for the sanctuary jurisdictions days before they were granted, despite pushback from her top staff.
"This is typical of Nielsen," a source said. "She is known for deliberately ignoring warnings that her decisions are not in keeping with the president's agenda, but that she proceeds forcefully and simply misrepresents what she is doing."
One former DHS employee said that current employees in the agency have complained about funding being allotted to sanctuary jurisdictions. "It's frustrating for officers and agents who work to support localities not supporting them."
NumbersUSA President Roy Beck said that the fact that Trump administration hasn't made more of an effort to defund sanctuary jurisdictions, due to pending court cases, comes as no surprise to him, but that it still "does sound a bit like backing down."
Sec Nielsen's decision comes after 18 states and local governments -- Santa Clarita, Los Alamitos, Calif., Orange County, Los Alamitos, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and West Virginia -- filed to join the Trump Administration's lawsuit.
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