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Local Officials Fear Funding Cuts From Trump Sanctuary City Threats

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Throughout his campaign, Donald Trump threatened to cut funding to sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration mandates under his presidency.

Local officials have started gearing up for a fight, fearing that the president-elect may follow through once he is inaugurated come January.


New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer released an initial analysis of federal funding for city programs on Wednesday. The analysis, according to his office, was meant to help identify what's at stake for New Yorkers as the president-elect prepares to take office.

"We cannot afford the cuts that could be implemented," said Stringer.

As WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported, the federal government gives the city $7 billion a year, covering nearly two thirds of the NYPD's counter-terror budget as well as almost forty percent of the public assistance grants that help 600,000 New Yorkers in need.

READ: Initial Analysis Of Federal Funding To New York City

"We would wholesale collapse programs to help the homeless," said Stringer. "It's hard to have to talk about this during Thanksgiving."

Stringer said that the city needs a strategy to fight on Capitol Hill should Trump make good on his campaign promises.

In Connecticut, Governor Daniel Malloy said that he'll sue the president-elect if he attempts to punish either of the two sanctuary cities in the state.


"We're certainly going to protect our rights as a state against any illegal steps taken by the federal government," he added.

As WCBS 880's Fran Schneidau reported, hundreds of Syrian refugees have emigrated to the Constitution State over the last few months.

According to Malloy, people in his state are doing all they can to help people displaced from their home countries.

The governor insists that these people are thoroughly vetted, and any legal action taken against Connecticut will be swiftly challenged in the courts.

© 2016 CBS Local Digital Media

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