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Trump administration threatens to withhold federal funds from 'sanctuary' states like CT

Trump administration threatens to withhold federal funds from 'sanctuary' states like CT

Yahoo2 days ago
The Trump administration is threatening to sue and withhold federal funds from more than 20 "sanctuary" states, cities and counties, because of their lack of cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
The new list, released Aug. 5 by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Public Affairs, includes three states and one city in New England: Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont and Boston, Massachusetts.
"Sanctuary policies impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk by design," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. "The Department of Justice will continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions and work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to eradicate these harmful policies around the country."
Inclusion on the list comes with the explicit threat of lawsuits and federal funding halts. And border czar Tom Homan has previously promised to "flood" those jurisdictions with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. In February, he said he would be "bringing hell" to Boston.
Several federal judges have blocked the administration's previous efforts to punish some of those jurisdictions, including Chicago and Portland, Oregon.
Earlier this year, the White House published and then almost immediately withdrew a significantly longer list after many communities on the list said they were erroneously included. In many of the jurisdictions included on the new list, including Boston, local leaders have argued that allowing police to partner with ICE discourages crime victims and witnesses from coming forward regardless of their immigration status.
In announcing the new list, which also includes both New York City and the state of New York, Chicago and San Francisco, the White House highlighted how Louisville, Kentucky, had agreed to end sanctuary policies while facing threat of a lawsuit.
What is a 'sanctuary jurisdiction'?
There's no specific legal definition of a sanctuary jurisdiction, but Bondi's office said it considered things like failure to collaborate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, providing government benefits to undocumented immigrants, or refusing to share immigration information about jail detainees.
Federal courts are currently weighing several lawsuits brought by the Trump administration against jurisdictions on the sanctuary list. A federal judge last month threw out the Trump administration's sanctuary jurisdiction lawsuit against Chicago and surrounding Cook County.
Is Boston a 'sanctuary city?'
Under the Trust Act, Boston city law enforcement officials are prohibited from cooperating with ICE to carry out civil warrants. The 2014 law makes many characterize Boston as a sanctuary city, though Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's administration doesn't use the term. Boston police officers work with immigration officials only on criminal warrants.
'Whenever someone commits a crime, whenever there's a criminal warrant, we hold them accountable,' Wu said during a March hearing in front of Congress. 'If ICE deems that they are dangerous enough to obtain a criminal warrant, we hold them accountable.'
During that hearing, Wu touted the city's safety record and pushed back against "the false narrative" that all immigrants are criminals.
'The false narrative is that immigrants in general are criminals, or immigrants in general cause all sorts of danger and harm, that is actually what is undermining safety in our communities,' Wu said.
Massachusetts was named on the original list of sanctuary states released in May, but it wasn't included this time. MA Gov. Maura Healey has said several times the Massachusetts isn't a sanctuary state.
Which communities have been described as immigrant 'sanctuaries'?
According to the Department of Justice, the following communities are offering "sanctuary" to immigrants who lack the legal right to be in this country.
United States Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the list could change as cities, counties or states changed policies in the future.
States:
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Illinois
Minnesota
Nevada
New York
Oregon
Rhode Island
Vermont
Washington
Counties:
Baltimore County, MD
Cook County, IL
San Diego County, CA
San Francisco County, CA
Cities:
Albuquerque, NM
Berkeley, CA
Boston, MA
Chicago, IL
Denver, CO
East Lansing, MI
Hoboken, NJ
Jersey City, NJ
Los Angeles, CA
New Orleans, LA
New York City, NY
Newark, NJ
Paterson, NJ
Philadelphia, PA
Portland, OR
Rochester, NY
Seattle, WA
San Francisco City, CA
Contributing: Melina Khan
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: CT named sanctuary state by Trump administration over immigration
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Trump tariffs live updates: Inflation starts to show up in US economy; Trump-China next steps in focus
Trump tariffs live updates: Inflation starts to show up in US economy; Trump-China next steps in focus

Yahoo

time25 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Trump tariffs live updates: Inflation starts to show up in US economy; Trump-China next steps in focus

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Concerns linger despite Trump extending a pause in sharp hikes in import duties for 90 days, beginning Monday, following a 90-day pause that began in May. AP reports: Read more here. China's economy lagged in July as factory output and retails sales slowed and house prices dropped, according to data released on Friday. President Trump's tariffs have added to uncertainty on exports and are looming over the world's second-largest economy. Concerns linger despite Trump extending a pause in sharp hikes in import duties for 90 days, beginning Monday, following a 90-day pause that began in May. AP reports: Read more here. Taiwan lifts 2025 growth forecast, defying US tariff worries Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. These tariffs are bananas An interesting spot from this week's inflation data: Prices for the reliable, potassium-heavy banana have jumped to their highest price ever recorded. Banana prices peaked around $0.64 per pound in the post-COVID inflation wave and then went on a slow downward trajectory. That is, until April 2025, when President Trump announced his first wave of sweeping tariffs. Prices are now hovering near $0.66 per pound. As the Yale Budget Lab chief Ernie Tedeschi noted on X, the average tariff rate on banana imports went from virtually nothing to very much something as Trump imposed tariffs on most US trading partners. That's nuts! An interesting spot from this week's inflation data: Prices for the reliable, potassium-heavy banana have jumped to their highest price ever recorded. Banana prices peaked around $0.64 per pound in the post-COVID inflation wave and then went on a slow downward trajectory. That is, until April 2025, when President Trump announced his first wave of sweeping tariffs. Prices are now hovering near $0.66 per pound. As the Yale Budget Lab chief Ernie Tedeschi noted on X, the average tariff rate on banana imports went from virtually nothing to very much something as Trump imposed tariffs on most US trading partners. That's nuts! Tapestry forecasts annual profit below estimates on tariff pain Tapestry (TPR) stock fell 8% before the bell on Thursday after the Coach handbag maker forecast annual profit below estimates. The company cited higher costs due to tariffs that have hit its margins. Reuters reports: Read more here. Tapestry (TPR) stock fell 8% before the bell on Thursday after the Coach handbag maker forecast annual profit below estimates. The company cited higher costs due to tariffs that have hit its margins. Reuters reports: Read more here. 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Already the busiest port in the country, LA moved more than 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in July, an 8.5% increase from a year ago, the operator said on Wednesday. That includes containers entering and exiting its terminals, with loaded imports rising by a similar percentage to nearly 544,000 TEUs. The total volume handled was 14.2% higher than in June. Read more here. Pharma tariffs are likely weeks away, Reuters reports US tariffs on pharmaceutical imports are coming but not imminent, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing unnamed sources. Trump has previously warned duties on the drug industry could reach as much as 250%. Reuters reports: Read more here. US tariffs on pharmaceutical imports are coming but not imminent, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing unnamed sources. Trump has previously warned duties on the drug industry could reach as much as 250%. Reuters reports: Read more here. 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AI boom could help manufacturers adapt to global tariff landscape Mark Bendeich of Reuters details how the confluence of supply chain disruption from Trump's tariff policy and the rise of AI software solutions is leading to increased innovation among manufacturers. Richard Howells, SAP vice president and supply chain specialist, emphasized that the uncertainty surrouding Trump's trade policy is driving the technology push. "That's how it was during the financial crisis, Brexit and COVID," Howells stated. "And it's what we're seeing now." Read more here. Mark Bendeich of Reuters details how the confluence of supply chain disruption from Trump's tariff policy and the rise of AI software solutions is leading to increased innovation among manufacturers. Richard Howells, SAP vice president and supply chain specialist, emphasized that the uncertainty surrouding Trump's trade policy is driving the technology push. "That's how it was during the financial crisis, Brexit and COVID," Howells stated. "And it's what we're seeing now." Read more here. GE Appliances to invest over $3B in US, moving from China and Mexico GE Appliances will move production of its refrigerators, gas ranges and water heaters from China and Mexico, investing over $3 billion to expand plans in five US states. AP News reports: Read more here. GE Appliances will move production of its refrigerators, gas ranges and water heaters from China and Mexico, investing over $3 billion to expand plans in five US states. AP News reports: Read more here. Bessent dismisses China investing in US as part of a trade deal Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ruled out Chinese investments as part of a US trade deal. When asked if China would offer a multi-billion dollar pleadges like Japan, South Korea and the EU, Bessent said no. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ruled out Chinese investments as part of a US trade deal. When asked if China would offer a multi-billion dollar pleadges like Japan, South Korea and the EU, Bessent said no. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Tariffs bring in record $27.7 billion in July as Trump calls haul 'incredible for our country' Yahoo Finance's Brett LoGiurato and Ben Werschkul report: Yahoo Finance's Brett LoGiurato and Ben Werschkul report: Xi takes aim at US 'protectionism' in phone call with Lula Leaders of the BRICS nations seem to be in talks. Brazilian President Lula spoke with China's leader Xi after meeting with India and Russia. This outreach comes after President Trump pulled Brazil into his trade war. During the call, China's Xi urged for coordinated efforts against US protectionism. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Leaders of the BRICS nations seem to be in talks. Brazilian President Lula spoke with China's leader Xi after meeting with India and Russia. This outreach comes after President Trump pulled Brazil into his trade war. During the call, China's Xi urged for coordinated efforts against US protectionism. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Soybean futures fall after Trump extends trade truce with China Soybean (ZS=F) prices fell back below $10 a bushel on Tuesday, after news of the US-China trade truce extension. Traders saw this truce as likely delaying major grain-purchasing deals between the two nations until later this year. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Soybean (ZS=F) prices fell back below $10 a bushel on Tuesday, after news of the US-China trade truce extension. Traders saw this truce as likely delaying major grain-purchasing deals between the two nations until later this year. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. European Union awaits US follow-up on trade deal promises BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union could not say when a joint statement on tariffs with the United States would be ready, nor when the White House would issue an executive order on European car import duties, a spokesperson said on Tuesday. The EU and U.S. reached a framework trade agreement at the end of July but only the 15% baseline tariff on European exports had so far come into effect, as of last week. EU officials previously said a joint statement would follow the deal "very soon" along with executive orders from U.S. President Donald Trump on key carve-outs. "It is an agreement that we believe is strong and the best we could have ... Of course, we expect the U.S. to take further steps that are part of this agreement but I don't believe at this stage we can put a timeline on these engagements," the European Commission spokesperson said. Read more here. BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union could not say when a joint statement on tariffs with the United States would be ready, nor when the White House would issue an executive order on European car import duties, a spokesperson said on Tuesday. The EU and U.S. reached a framework trade agreement at the end of July but only the 15% baseline tariff on European exports had so far come into effect, as of last week. EU officials previously said a joint statement would follow the deal "very soon" along with executive orders from U.S. President Donald Trump on key carve-outs. "It is an agreement that we believe is strong and the best we could have ... Of course, we expect the U.S. to take further steps that are part of this agreement but I don't believe at this stage we can put a timeline on these engagements," the European Commission spokesperson said. Read more here. 'Climate of uncertainty' remains after China-US trade extension Zhou Mi, an expert at the Ministry of Commerce-backed Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told Bloomberg that there remains a "climate of uncertainty" despite the latest 90-day pause on additional tariffs enacted by the US on Monday. The Trump administration 'frequently sends out a range of signals, often through its negotiation tactics and public statements — some of which even contradict each other,' Zhou told Bloomberg. 'This creates a climate of uncertainty that makes businesses and markets increasingly concerned about the stability and outlook for economic and trade policies between China and the US, as well as the US and other countries." Average US tariffs on good imported from China currently sit at 55%. Read more here. Zhou Mi, an expert at the Ministry of Commerce-backed Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told Bloomberg that there remains a "climate of uncertainty" despite the latest 90-day pause on additional tariffs enacted by the US on Monday. The Trump administration 'frequently sends out a range of signals, often through its negotiation tactics and public statements — some of which even contradict each other,' Zhou told Bloomberg. 'This creates a climate of uncertainty that makes businesses and markets increasingly concerned about the stability and outlook for economic and trade policies between China and the US, as well as the US and other countries." Average US tariffs on good imported from China currently sit at 55%. Read more here. Swiss precious metals group wants 'a formal and binding decision' on Trump gold tariff promise Not everyone is fully satisfied with President Donald Trump's social media statement on not putting tariffs on gold after uncertainty in the bullion market in recent days. "President Trump's statement is an encouraging signal for trade stability," Christoph Wild, president of the the the Swiss precious metals association ASFCMP, stated on Tuesday. "However, only a formal and binding decision will provide the certainty the gold sector and its partners require." Read more here. Not everyone is fully satisfied with President Donald Trump's social media statement on not putting tariffs on gold after uncertainty in the bullion market in recent days. "President Trump's statement is an encouraging signal for trade stability," Christoph Wild, president of the the the Swiss precious metals association ASFCMP, stated on Tuesday. "However, only a formal and binding decision will provide the certainty the gold sector and its partners require." Read more here. China urges firms not to use Nvidia H20 chips in new guidance China has told local companies to avoid using Nvidia (NVDA) H20 processors, especially for government work. This makes it harder for Nvidia to recover billions in lost sales in China and affects the US government's plan to benefit from those sales. This latest move by China appears to be in response to the deal Nvidia and AMD (AMD) made with the US government over the weekend to pay the US 15% of the revenue for AI-related chip sales to China, adding a monetization layer to the Trump administration's tariff policy that has reoriented global trade relationships. In recent weeks, Chinese officials warned several firms against using these less advanced chips. The strongest advice was to keep J20 processors out of government national security projects, both for state-owned and private companies. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. China has told local companies to avoid using Nvidia (NVDA) H20 processors, especially for government work. This makes it harder for Nvidia to recover billions in lost sales in China and affects the US government's plan to benefit from those sales. This latest move by China appears to be in response to the deal Nvidia and AMD (AMD) made with the US government over the weekend to pay the US 15% of the revenue for AI-related chip sales to China, adding a monetization layer to the Trump administration's tariff policy that has reoriented global trade relationships. In recent weeks, Chinese officials warned several firms against using these less advanced chips. The strongest advice was to keep J20 processors out of government national security projects, both for state-owned and private companies. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Japan's Nikkei hits record high on tariff relief, tech rally The Nikkei 225 (^N225) hit a record high Tuesday as easing US tariff fears boosted optimism, led by tech stocks and tariff relief. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. The Nikkei 225 (^N225) hit a record high Tuesday as easing US tariff fears boosted optimism, led by tech stocks and tariff relief. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

Note to critics of the Trump tariffs: This is not the 1930s
Note to critics of the Trump tariffs: This is not the 1930s

The Hill

time27 minutes ago

  • The Hill

Note to critics of the Trump tariffs: This is not the 1930s

You could practically hear the cheering on Thursday as critics of President Trump finally got what they've waited months for — some indication that tariffs might (finally!) drive prices higher. Yesterday's Producer Price Index report showed wholesale prices jumped 0.9 percent over the last month, the biggest gain since June 2022. It followed another benign Consumer Price Index report published earlier in the week, making it all the more surprising. But, more than three-quarters of the gain was driven by services price escalation; there was some rise in the cost of machinery and other end goods, but the impact from tariffs was inconclusive. Here's a fact: No one — not Fed Chairman Jay Powell, not Goldman Sachs' CEO David Solomon, not Paul Krugman, who predicted markets would collapse if Trump were elected in 2016, nor all the talking heads on Bloomberg and elsewhere who have blasted Trump's tariff regimen — has any idea how his upending of global trade terms will turn out. There has never been a country that dominated the global economy as the U.S. now does, nor has there ever been a president like Trump determined to take advantage of that clout. Many have compared his tariffs with the stiff duties imposed by the Smoot-Hawley Act of 1930, but there are huge differences between then and now, which may account for some of the unrelenting negativity about the president's program. Today, unlike then, the U.S. is the essential nation for producers of consumer goods. Americans spent $20 trillion last year, compared to $10 trillion by residents of the European Union and $8 trillion by Chinese citizens. Though the U.S. accounted for a larger share of global GDP in 1930 than it does today (35 percent vs. 26 percent), we were not the primary buyer of other countries' goods. In fact, in 1930, the U.S. enjoyed a trade surplus; last year, the U.S. had a net goods trade deficit of $1.2 trillion and an overall (including services) trade deficit of $918 billion — a record. Consequently, we have not seen countries retaliate against the tariffs imposed by the president as they did in the 1930s. The Smoot-Hawley tariffs averaged 59.1 percent on some 20,000 different categories of goods. In response, as the Foundation for Economic Education recalls, 'An outraged Canada slammed tariffs on goods that accounted for 30 per cent of American exports. France, Germany and the British Empire followed suit, either turning to alternative markets or developing substitute manufacturing that would replace goods previously acquired from America — or elsewhere, since many other countries were erecting wall-of-death tariffs.' This time, at least so far, there has been remarkably little of that retaliatory tit-for-tat. Some countries best positioned to punch back, like Canada, whose economy is inextricably integrated with that of its southern neighbor, have backed off threats to do so. Three-quarters of Canada's exports are to the U.S., and exports account for a hefty 34 percent of the country's GDP. A recent threat to slap U.S. tech companies with a heavy new tax vanished as Canadian officials tread carefully, hoping to eliminate the 35 percent tariff on Canadian imports not covered by the USMCA trade agreement, as well as a 50 percent tax on aluminum and steel imported from Canada. Otherwise, China is the most obvious hold-out to Trump's tariff regimen. Because of its grip on rare earths that are essential to U.S. manufacturers, and because it supplies a huge amount of cheap goods to American consumers, Beijing has serious leverage over the United States. Like Trump, they are willing to use it. Still, China's economy is struggling and President Xi Jinping must know that playing hardball with Trump will eventually be a losing game. 'Between 1929 and 1933,' the Foundation for Economic Education continues, 'U.S. imports collapsed by 66 per cent. Exports plummeted by 61 per cent. Total global trade fell by a similar amount.' Some consider the global depression responsible for much of the drop; others blame tariffs. Many economists and analysts today say that history should serve as a warning against the measures being enacted by Trump. The critics have relied too much on that historical comparison. In addition, political animus has driven liberal pundits to take (and promote) the darkest view imaginable about Trump's program. So far, most have been wrong. For months they predicted that tariffs placed on imports would drive inflation higher; they haven't. They predicted that the duties placed on imports would crush growth and lead to a recession. With consumer spending steadily advancing, according to credit card data, those dark days have yet to appear. Democrats are positively hoping for disaster. Trump ran on a platform of wrestling down Joe Biden's inflation; his adversaries are hoping he will fail, and they see tariffs as the likely agent of his failure. Bloomberg, MSNBC et the others have enthusiastically promoted the direst of predictions month after month, anticipating each new release of inflation data with the eagerness of kids waiting for Santa Claus. While glumly reporting month after month of weaker than expected inflation, the merchants of gloom inevitably add a '… yet.' They are positive that any minute now the tariff damage will blossom. They may be right; tariffs will almost surely boost prices, but the impact should be modest (after all, imports are only about 11 percent of our economy). At some point the pontificators will have to reassess their assumptions about how businesses and consumers will adapt to the higher duties. Many companies are scrambling to change their sourcing to avoid tariffs, and Americans are navigating around the price increases where possible. The end game for Trump is bringing more manufacturing to the U.S., beefing up industries essential to our security — like steel — and earning significant revenues as a valuable byproduct. How this all plays out is uncertain, but that Trump is committed to all three goals is not.

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Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
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