President Trump announces funding cuts to sanctuary cities
President Donald Trump announced plans to suspend payments to sanctuary cities and states starting February 1.
This year, the Philadelphia City Council announced and introduced an “ICE OUT” legislative package aimed at limiting the powers of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in the city.
The bill later became law when Mayor Sherrell Parker signed it into law.
The White House calls Philadelphia a “sanctuary city” when it comes to immigration law and enforcement. Philadelphia calls itself a “Welcoming City.”
It is recognized by Welcoming America, a national nonprofit organization that encourages cities to promote inclusivity and work with law enforcement to educate people about their rights. There are dozens of Welcoming America cities, but not all are on the federal government’s list of sanctuary cities.
But what’s the difference? And what does that mean for immigrants, visitors, and travelers living in one of the nation’s most diverse cities?
What is a sanctuary city? Why does President Trump call Philadelphia a sanctuary city?
In 2025, President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice updated the list of sanctuary states, cities, and counties in the country, including Philadelphia.
The release also defines a number of characteristics that could place these jurisdictions on the official sanctuary list, including laws and ordinances that limit how local law enforcement can cooperate with ICE, as well as jurisdictions that do not honor ICE detainees without a signed warrant.
Where does Philadelphia stand on immigration?
The city has passed various bills, laws and policies over the years regarding how immigration and local law enforcement can interact with ICE officers. For example, it places limits on when to honor detainees and prevents local law enforcement from sharing sensitive immigration status information with federal officials.
The ICE OUT bill, introduced in January, established new immigration-related guidelines, including prohibiting ICE agents from accessing city-owned spaces without a warrant and banning 287(g) agreements that allow local police to act as federal agents.
Does it matter whether Philadelphia calls itself a sanctuary city?
In short, no.
When it comes to potential DHS actions or reviews imposed on the nation’s sanctuary cities, it doesn’t really matter what Philadelphia calls itself, as long as its sanctuary city status is maintained by the White House.
Kaitlyn McCormick is a Philadelphia-based reporter who writes about trends, news and all things city-related for USA TODAY’s Philadelphia Metro Connect team.
