Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican representative from Georgia, announced on Sunday that she plans to withhold funding from sanctuary states and cities as the incoming chair of a House Oversight subcommittee. This subcommittee will be working closely with the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Earlier this week, Representative James Comer, a Kentucky Republican and chair of the House Oversight Committee, made an announcement regarding Greene’s appointment as the head of the newly formed subcommittee. The subcommittee, titled the Delivering on Government Efficiency Subcommittee, will be under Greene’s leadership.
Greene is set to collaborate closely with billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who were chosen by Trump to spearhead DOGE’s mission of “eradicating government waste.”
During an appearance on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Greene, a staunch supporter of Trump and advocate for strict immigration policies, shared her agenda as the incoming chair.
During the interview with host Bartiromo, Greene was asked about her observations on government waste. In response, she emphasized that government waste can be found in every single department, program, grant program, and contracts. According to Greene, it is a pervasive issue that exists across the entire government.
The subcommittee is set to investigate wasteful spending, explore methods to enhance the efficiency of federal agencies through reorganization, and find solutions to eliminate bureaucratic red tape.
“I would like to engage in a conversation with the governors of sanctuary states and the mayors of sanctuary cities, urging them to appear before our committee and provide an explanation as to why they should receive federal funding while offering refuge to illegal criminal aliens within their respective states and cities,” Greene stated.
On Sunday, Newsweek contacted several governors of sanctuary states, namely New York, Vermont, Oregon, and Colorado, as well as the New York ACLU, seeking their comments via email.
During the 2024 presidential election, immigration and border security emerged as key concerns. Trump secured victory by promising to implement large-scale deportations, tackle undocumented immigration, and strengthen the southern border.
Sanctuary cities and states safeguard undocumented immigrants from being deported or prosecuted by federal agents, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers. Although there is no official definition of a sanctuary city, it generally refers to areas that restrict cooperation with federal immigration authorities. These jurisdictions, like other cities and states, still receive federal funding.
Hundreds of sanctuary jurisdictions of varying sizes can be found throughout the country, spanning nearly a dozen states. Each of these jurisdictions provides its own unique set of protections. Notable examples of sanctuary cities include New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Boston.
In his first term, Trump made an effort to cut funding to sanctuary cities by signing an executive order. However, this attempt was thwarted by federal courts.
During her interview with Bartiromo on Sunday, the congresswoman was asked directly whether she believed that sanctuary states and cities would lose their funding.
According to Greene, sanctuary states and cities that choose to use their police officers and resources to harbor and protect illegal criminal aliens should be prepared to face the consequences. In her view, it is only fair that these jurisdictions risk losing their federal funding.
During the interview, Greene highlighted additional areas of interest such as government-funded media programs like NPR (National Public Radio), as well as grant programs that support initiatives like sex apps in Malaysia and sanitation facilities in Africa.
According to NPR’s website, federal funding accounts for less than 1 percent of its annual operating budget. However, eliminating this funding would have far-reaching consequences. It would lead to a reduction in programs, a decline in journalism, particularly at the local level, and ultimately, the closure of public radio stations, especially in rural and economically disadvantaged areas.
Greene’s mention of toilets in Africa may be referring to the sanitation and water security grants provided by government agencies such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The specific context of her reference to Malaysia remains unclear.
In addition to contracts and federal programs, the congresswoman also highlighted the importance of terminating government employees and disposing of unused federal buildings during her remarks on Sunday.