Feb. 6, 2025
Future of Federal Funding, Immigration and Trump’s Cabinet
Update on Federal Funding Availability
A Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) issued last Friday, Jan. 31 by the US District Court in Rhode Island is the latest in a series of events surrounding the status of federal financial assistance, including grants and loans for city projects.
The TRO was issued in response to lack of clarity around the scope and impact of a January 27 memo from the Office of Planning and Budget (OMB), M-25-13, and several other executive actions regarding federal funding.
As a result of the TRO, your city likely will NOT see any change to federal award(s) by the granting agency at this time on the basis of the OMB memo or recently issued Executive Orders. Agencies DO STILL have discretion to modify access to funds on their own accord. Please continue to notify NLC and GMA of any affected projects or funding.
Access NLC’s summary of the recent Presidential Executive Orders and their impact to local governments (limited to NLC members)
Update on Immigration-Related Orders
The Administration’s efforts at immigration reform have raised questions about the compliance and cooperation of local law enforcement with federal immigration policies. Section 17 of the Jan. 20 executive order “Protecting the American People Against Invasion” calls for withholding federal funds from jurisdictions with sanctuary policies – a practice already banned in the state of Georgia. Of note:
- Yesterday, the Attorney General’s Office issued the “Sanctuary Jurisdiction Directives” memo calling for an investigation of state and local “misconduct” against federal immigration laws as well as disqualification from DOJ funding for any jurisdictions found to have sanctuary policies. Within 30 days, their office will report which grants this requirement applies to.
- On Jan. 29, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a memo stating that DOT programs “shall prioritize projects and goals that... require local compliance or cooperation with Federal immigration enforcement.”
- There are efforts within Congress to “strengthen cooperation between local and federal law enforcement” and further crack down on sanctuary policies.
It remains unclear how these policies will impact cities. GMA is hoping further administrative actions and court rulings will clarify the conditioning of funds on local cooperation with immigration enforcement.
Click here for the recording of the Jan. 31 webinar, “Impacts of Immigration Executive Orders on Local Governments," hosted by the Local Government Legal Center
Who’s Who in the Trump Administration?
In the last few weeks, President Trump has been assembling his Cabinet of advisors who will oversee federal departments and work to advance his agenda. Many of the Cabinet nominees are currently undergoing Senate confirmation hearings.
Here are some people-to-know who will be taking the helm of agencies your city may interact with the most. (The status of their appointment or confirmation is as of 2/6/25.)
- Alexander Meyer, Director, White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (appointed)
- Christine Serrano Glassner, Deputy Director, White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (appointed)
- Sean Duffy, Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation (confirmed)
- Lee Zeldin, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (confirmed)
- Scott Bessent, Financier, U.S. Department of Treasury (confirmed)
- Chris Wright, Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy (confirmed)
- Scott Turner, Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (confirmed)
- Doug Collins, Secretary, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (confirmed)
- Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor (pending)
- Howard Lutnick, Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce (pending)
- Brooke Rollins, Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture (pending)
- Kelly Loeffler, Administrator, Small Business Administration (pending)
GMA is connecting with the newly appointed Deputy Director of the White House IGA office in the coming weeks to kickstart a working relationship on behalf of Georgia cities and to let them know we are here to be a partner and a resource to this new Administration.