Trump Warns States: Hand Over Undocumented Immigrant Lists or Lose Welfare Funding

The Trump administration is warning state governments that refusing to hand over information on undocumented immigrants could cost them federal welfare funding.

The proposed policy would extend beyond state welfare agencies. Public universities, motor vehicle departments, and other state institutions would also be required to report information they hold on undocumented immigrants.

The measure would give federal immigration enforcement a much broader network for identifying people across state services. The warning has prompted attention because it links cooperation with immigration authorities to continued access to welfare funding.

The U.S. Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel issued an opinion on the matter, according to Reuters and CNN. The details cited in the report describe a federal effort to make state agencies part of a wider immigration enforcement system.