States Must Work With ICE Or Lose Transportation Funding, Secretary Says

States that do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement will lose funding from the Department of Transportation, Secretary Sean Duffy announced.

“The USDOT will NOT fund rogue state actors who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement,” Duffy said.

The policy also applies to cities that do not protect infrastructure from rioters.

“And to cities that stand by while rioters destroy transportation infrastructure — don’t expect a red cent either. Follow the law, or forfeit the funding.”

The @USDOT will NOT fund rogue state actors who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

And to cities that stand by while rioters destroy transportation infrastructure — don’t expect a red cent from DOT, either. Follow the law, or forfeit the funding. https://t.co/cCRi4ALT23

— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) June 16, 2025

The announcement comes after President Donald Trump recently ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers “to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History,” The Daily Wire reported.

Trump said he directed his “entire Administration to put every resource possible behind” federal deportation efforts.

Trump’s announcement specified Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, “where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside.”

Anti-ICE riots have raged in Los Angeles for over a week, with protesters looting stores, burning Waymo robotaxis, and attacking federal officers.

The riots led to Trump deploying the Marines and the National Guard to protect federal agents and buildings.

In Seattle last week, masked protesters surrounded an ICE field office with ICE agents and detained illegal aliens inside, The Daily Wire reported. After agents successfully escaped with the detainees, the protesters attacked nearby police vehicles.

A “No Kings” protest in Portland on Saturday also led to a riot at an ICE facility, where protesters threw fireworks, smoke grenades, and rocks at federal officers, The Daily Caller reported.

Despite the violence, L.A. Democrat Mayor Karen Bass said she would “not put up with” Trump deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles.

“I’m with more than 20 state and federal elected officials, and together, we are here to say we will NOT put up with what the administration is doing,” said Bass. “Enough is enough. Stop the raids.”

Bass also said Trump’s recent ICE announcement was “manufacturing a crisis.”

“Make no mistake: this is illegal, divisive, and flies in the face of everything we stand for in Los Angeles,” she said.

Trump said the federal government will “reverse the tide of Mass Destruction Migration.”

“Our Federal Government will continue to be focused on the REMIGRATION of Aliens to the places from where they came, and preventing the admission of ANYONE who undermines the domestic tranquility of the United States,” Trump said.