Fact check: Secretary Sean Duffy confirms that Sanctuary Cities will NOT receive federal funds to rebuild

1. Summary of the results

The analyses reveal a significant contradiction between Secretary Sean Duffy's stated position and current legal reality. While Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has indeed threatened to cut federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with immigration enforcement ^{[1] [2]}, federal courts have blocked these efforts.

Multiple federal judges have issued rulings preventing the Trump administration from withholding federal funds from sanctuary cities and states. A federal judge in California ruled that portions of President Trump's executive orders attempting to deny federal funds to sanctuary jurisdictions were unconstitutional ^[3]. More recently, on June 20, 2025, a federal judge specifically blocked the Trump administration from requiring states to cooperate with ICE in order to receive transportation funding ^{[4] [5]}.

The legal precedent is clear: sanctuary cities and states will continue to receive federal funds despite the administration's threats, as courts have consistently ruled against funding cuts tied to immigration enforcement cooperation ^{[2] [6]}.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original statement omits crucial legal context that fundamentally undermines its accuracy. Federal court injunctions have repeatedly blocked funding cuts to sanctuary jurisdictions, making Duffy's confirmation legally unenforceable ^{[2] [3] [6] [4] [5]}.

The Trump administration and immigration hardliners benefit from promoting the narrative that sanctuary cities will lose funding, as it:

• Pressures local governments to comply with federal immigration enforcement
• Appeals to voters who support stricter immigration policies
• Creates political leverage over Democratic-controlled cities and states

Conversely, sanctuary jurisdictions and immigrant advocacy groups benefit from the court rulings, as they:

• Maintain access to billions in federal transportation funds needed for infrastructure projects
• Preserve local autonomy in immigration policy decisions
• Protect immigrant communities from increased federal enforcement

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The statement contains significant misinformation by omission. While Secretary Duffy may have made such statements, presenting this as confirmed policy ignores the legal reality that courts have blocked these funding cuts ^{[4] [5]}.

The statement appears to amplify administration talking points without acknowledging that federal judges have ruled these funding restrictions unconstitutional ^[3]. This creates a false impression that the policy is being implemented when, in fact, court injunctions prevent its enforcement.

The timing is particularly misleading, as the most recent court ruling blocking transportation funding cuts occurred on June 20, 2025 ^{[4] [5]}, just one day before today's date, making any confirmation of funding cuts legally impossible to implement.