There is no official definition of “sanctuary,” but it is the term applied to states, cities and other jurisdictions that protect undocumented migrants and offer them certain benefits, such as health care and education, that the federal government does not provide. For the Donald Trump administration, these authorities are not cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain and deport migrants and therefore, in their view, they are violating federal laws.
There are about 14 states that are considered sanctuaries, according to the health policy organization KFF, but the harassment they face from the federal government, with constant threats of legal action and cutting off federal funding, in addition to their own budget constraints, are eroding their willingness to help foreigners. Three of them — Illinois, California, and Minnesota — have already announced cuts to their benefits for undocumented immigrants.
California, a state that has excelled in welcoming and protecting a large number of migrants, is also stripping them of benefits. Governor Gavin Newsom, in his 2025-26 fiscal year budget, has called for a freeze on undocumented immigrants’ enrollment in the Medi-Cal program. The 1.6 million undocumented immigrants already enrolled will not lose access to health services, but will have to make a monthly payment of $100.
Although these sanctuary states’ programs are funded with their own resources, the Trump administration is pushing to cut their federal funding if they continue providing services to undocumented immigrants. The Republican’s “big, beautiful” bill, which passed the House of Representatives and has since moved to the Senate, penalizes states that use their own funds to benefit undocumented immigrants. The prospect of a cut of billions of dollars in state coffers jeopardizes the continuation of these programs.
