Harlow Bidwell ‘28, Opinion Editor
President Donald Trump introduced new policies that were set on Feb. 1. Trump announced he would like for the U.S. to crack down further on sanctuary cities by cutting funding. The policy being called the sanctuary city funding cut. Trump has also signed the executive order for the America First Arms Strategy on Feb. 6, concerning the prioritization of national interests such as economic flourishing and safety.
The newly introduced policies contain issues on funding, immigration, and border security. Federal funding on “sanctuary cities,” along with other states that limit cooperation with ICE agents, has been cut by almost $10 billion. Along with a mass deportation push, Trump also mentions the ending of sensitive location protection, and the maximized use of expedited removal. According to the Detroit Economic Club, Trump said, “Starting February 1, we are not making any payments to sanctuary cities or states having sanctuary cities because they do everything possible to protect criminals at the expense of American citizens.” He added,“It [Sanctuary funding] breeds fraud and crime and all of the other problems that come, so we’re not making any payment to anybody that supports sanctuary cities.” The Department of Justice has identified 11 states as sanctuary jurisdictions, including California, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, along with the District of Columbia also being considered a sanctuary jurisdiction.
The America First Arms strategy emphasizes the selling of American made weapons to allies based on the necessity in an attempt to improve the U.S. industrial base. This strategy prioritizes allies who invest in the improvement of their own defense, making these allies receive priority for American made weapons. The intent of the America first strategy is said to be to increase production of weaponry and to support reindustrialization. An article published by the White House said, “This groundbreaking strategy will leverage America’s record-breaking defense sales to revitalize the defense industrial base, rapidly deliver American-manufactured weapons so our partners and allies can assume responsibility for the security of their region, and foster a more intentional and transparent arms transfer enterprise.” The strategy looks to maintain and better the current U.S. military dominance and technologies.
Ultimately, the policies introduced a shift to a more domestic plan of action. Trump uses these new policies to solidify there being no change of action with the current aggressive use of ICE, by furthering the use of agents with the Sanctuary city funding cut policy. These actions show a turning point in the U.S. by the management of internal borders and as being a global supplier of weaponry.
Lyon Life 