Priebus on sanctuary cities: 'If you defy the laws of this country, you shouldn't receive federal taxpayer dollars'

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus defended President Donald Trump Wednesday evening over a move to block federal funds meant for so-called "sanctuary cities" that harbor immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally.
"Should places in this country that ignore the laws of this country when it comes to immigration receive federal money into their communities?" Priebus asked Fox News' Sean Hannity Wednesday. "And the answer to me is no."
WATCH SEAN HANNITY'S CABLE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP THURSDAY AT 10 PM ET ON FOX NEWS CHANNEL
The sanctuary cities order was part of a flurry of executive actions from Trump Wednesday that dealt with immigration and border security. The president also issued orders moving ahead with the construction of a wall along the southern border and halting the processing of Syrian refugees.
TRUMP DRAFT ORDER WILL REPORTEDLY HALT REFUGEE PROCESSING FOR SYRIANS
Preibus told Hannity that halting funds to sanctuary cities has "been in the Republican party platform now for over eight years. This is not some sort of crazy thinking.
"The point is," Priebus added, "if you defy the laws of this country, you shouldn't receive federal tax payer dollars from the people of this country ... in some cases, you have folks that have committed crimes ... and in every other jurisdiction, they say ‘OK, you’ve committed a crime. You now have to leave the country.’ That’s normal, right? I think that’s normal, but they’re not doing that."
The chief of staff said that Trump would issue more executive orders relating to national security on Friday.
"I'll expect a series of executive orders to start tackling issues in regard to foreign policy, issues in regard to ISIS and our positions now through the world, especially through the Middle East."
Priebus also discussed Trump's orders designed to encourage U.S. manufacturing, including an order giving the Commerce Department six months to maximize the amount of American steel used in oil pipeline projects.
"The President was talking about [the Keystone and Dakota Access] pipelines," Priebus said, "And at that very moment ... President Trump said, 'Well, why aren't we using American steel? Shouldn't we be using an American pipe?' ... So he said, 'Well, okay, let's write an executive order that says wherever you can possibly use American pipe and American steel we should do it.'"
The former head of the Republican National Committee predicted that Trump's policies could lead the U.S. economy to growth as high as 7 percent per economic quarter.
"If we're going to be an administration that cuts regulation, that lowers business taxes so that these companies can expand, that dis-incentivizes [them] from moving overseas into Mexico and China," Priebus said, "and makes doing business in America better for them, well then the jobs are going to explode."

Sanctuary cities dig in after Trump executive order

The leaders of “sanctuary cities” across the country vowed Wednesday to stand firm on their policies offering protection to illegal immigrants, in the wake of an executive order signed by President Trump threatening to cut off federal funding.
“These jurisdictions have caused immeasurable harm to the American people and to the very fabric of our Republic,” Trump’s executive order said.
Trump vowed to “crack down” on those cities during a visit to the Department of Homeland Security, setting up a showdown between his administration and the nearly 300 communities that have policies helping shield undocumented immigrants from deportation.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he wouldn’t “deviate” from the city’s current approach of offering basic protection to illegal immigrants.
“We’re doing the right thing,” de Blasio said. “We have a city that is working economically, that is more harmonious and that is safer.”
He added, “We’re not going to deviate from that.”
Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., who represents parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan, said she was proud that “city officials have made clear they will not be accomplices in enforcing policies that create fear in immigrant communities.”
“New York has always been a city of immigrants and we will not be bullied into dividing against one another,” she said in a written statement.
While there is no one-size-fits-all definition of a sanctuary city, the term loosely refers to places that offer political support and protections to people who are in the U.S. illegally. Trump has vowed since the campaign to confront them over their defiance of federal immigration law, but those cities gave little indication they'd reconsider the policies after Wednesday's signing.
“Shame on him,” Lawrence, Mass., Mayor Daniel Rivera said in a statement. “There’s so many other things to worry about. Nobody in a red state is going to get a job or have their life become better because he victimizes these immigrants.”
Northhampton Mayor David Narkewicz told The Boston Globe he felt stripping funding from sanctuary cities would be easier said than done.
“It’s very easy to campaign, that the king is going to wave his scepter and somehow take away federal funding, but this isn’t the campaign anymore,” he said. “This is a president who functions in a larger government. We’re a government of laws. So it’s a much more difficult process, which I think even his spokesman conceded.”
Trump's White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said earlier the order would direct the DHS secretary to look at funding streams and determine "how they can be cut off" for sanctuary districts.
Some of America's biggest cities, including Chicago and the city hosting this week's congressional Republican retreat -- Philadelphia -- are also poised for a fight with the Trump administration.
A spokeswoman for Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney says the city has no plans to change its immigration policy.
“Given that today’s [executive order] was simply a directive and did not even make clear if there were any significant funding streams that the Trump administration could cut off to Philadelphia, we have no plans to change our immigration policy at this time,” Lauren Hitt said in a statement.
She added that Philadelphia has a “responsibility” to keep “undocumented human beings” safe.

Secret Service Cartoons

Senior Secret Service agent suggests she wouldn't take 'a bullet' for Trump

Kerry O'Grady

A senior U.S. Secret Service agent posted social-media condemnations of President Trump during the past seven months, including one in which she said she wouldn't want to "take a bullet" for him.
She explained herself saying she viewed his presidential candidacy as a "disaster" for the country, and especially for women and minorities.
Kerry O'Grady, the special agent in charge of the Secret Service's Denver district, oversees coordination with Washington-based advance teams for all presidential candidate and presidential trips to the area, including all upcoming or future trips by the president, vice president or Trump administration officials.
Despite her senior security role, she has made her disdain for Trump and his incoming administration clear to her Facebook followers, who included current and former Secret Service agents and other people who were employees at the time of the posts. O'Grady's posts triggered at least one complaint to the office that oversees investigations into Secret Service misbehavior, two knowledgeable sources told the Washington Examiner.

Trump admin institutes media blackout for EPA, suspends social media activity

The Trump administration has instituted a media blackout for the Environmental Protection Agency, banning press releases and social media posts on official agency accounts, a source told Fox News.
The prohibitions came to light as the agency moved to delay implementation of at least 30 environmental rules finalized in the closing months of President Obama’s term, a potential first step to seeking to kill the regulations.
Staffers in EPA’s public affairs office are instructed to forward all inquiries from reporters to the Office of Administration and Resources Management.
"Not the most inspiring time at EPA right now but we're fighters,” the EPA staffer, who would only speak on condition of anonymity said.
The source, who also has direct knowledge of agency contracts and grants, confirmed that the agency has been asked to temporarily halt all contracts and grants pending review.

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“Yes to freeze on new contracts and grants and no new funding on existing ones. There will supposedly be exceptions moving forward but unclear at this point,” the source said.
The Trump administration has also ordered what it called a temporary suspension of all new business activities at the department, including issuing task orders or work assignments to EPA contractors. The orders were expected to have a significant and immediate impact on EPA activities nationwide.
EPA contracts with outside vendors for a wide array of services, from engineering and research science to janitorial supplies.
The Washington Post reported Monday that an email was sent to employees of the Office of Acquisition Management from the incoming EPA administration to temporarily suspend “all contract and grant awards.” The email was reportedly sent within hours of Trump’s inauguration ceremony.
Competitive Enterprise Institute director Myron Ebell, who oversaw the EPA transition for the Trump administration, told ProPublica that the move isn’t unprecedented.
“They’re trying to freeze things to make sure nothing happens they don’t want to have happen, so any regulations going forward, contracts, grants, hires, they want to make sure to look at them first. This may be a little wider than some previous administrations, but it’s very similar to what others have done.”
However, one employee told the publication that he couldn’t recall a similar event happening in 10 years with the agency.
Similar orders barring external communications have been issued in recent days by the Trump administration at other federal agencies, including the departments of Transportation and Agriculture.
Staffers in EPA's public affairs office are instructed to forward all inquiries from reporters to the Office of Administration and Resources Management.
"Incoming media requests will be carefully screened," one directive said. "Only send out critical messages, as messages can be shared broadly and end up in the press."
A review of EPA websites and social media accounts, which typically include numerous new posts each day, showed no new activity since Friday.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Tuesday he had no specific information on the blackout.
"I don't think it's any surprise that when there's an administration turnover, that we're going to review the policies," Spicer said.
Doug Ericksen, the communications director for Trump's transition team at EPA, said he expects the communications ban to be lifted by the end of this week.
"We're just trying to get a handle on everything and make sure what goes out reflects the priorities of the new administration," Ericksen said.

State Department reviewing Obama admin's last-minute decision to send Palestinians $221M

The State Department announced Tuesday that it will review the last-minute decision by former Secretary of State John Kerry to send $221 million to the Palestinians late last week over the objections of congressional Republicans.
The department said it would look at the payment and might make adjustments to ensure it comports with the Trump administration’s priorities.
Kerry formally notified Congress that State would release the money Friday morning, just hours before President Trump took the oath of office.
Congress had initially approved the Palestinian funding in budget years 2015 and 2016, but at least two GOP lawmakers — Ed Royce of California, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Kay Granger of Texas, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee — had placed holds on it over moves the Palestinian Authority had taken to seek membership in international organizations. Congressional holds are generally respected by the executive branch but are not legally binding after funds have been allocated.
Granger released a statement Tuesday saying, “I am deeply disappointed that President Obama defied congressional oversight and released $221 million to the Palestinian territories.”
She added: “I worked to make sure that no American taxpayer dollars would fund the Palestinian Authority unless very strict conditions were met. While none of these funds will go to the Palestinian Authority because of those conditions, they will go to programs in the Palestinian territories that were still under review by Congress. The Obama Administration’s decision to release these funds was inappropriate.”
The Obama administration had for some time been pressing for the release of the money, which comes from the U.S. Agency for International Development and is to be used to fund humanitarian aid in the West Bank and Gaza, to support political and security reforms and to help prepare for good governance and the rule of law in a future Palestinian state, according to the notification sent to Congress.
The Palestinian funding is likely to draw anger from some in Congress as well as the Trump White House. Trump has vowed to be a strong supporter of Israel and has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Washington next month.
Trump appears to be approaching the Middle East differently then the Obama administration.
For example, some members of Trump’s administration have been split on whether to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem.
The Washington Post noted that most of the world doesn’t recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. East Jerusalem is also considered “occupied territory,” which Palestinians hope to call their capital if a two-state solution is ever reached.
Trump’s next ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, supports Israeli settlements and other changes to U.S. policies in the region.
Friedman said he looked forward to carrying out his duties from "the U.S. embassy in Israel's eternal capital, Jerusalem," even though the embassy is in Tel Aviv.  Trump advisers have said that the president-elect will follow through on his call for moving the embassy.

Trump to order construction of US-Mexican border wall; reportedly to suspend refugee program

President Trump today is expected to order the construction of his long-promised wall along the U.S.-Mexican border and take other actions on immigration, a main cornerstone of his presidential campaign.
Trump is planning a visit to the Department of Homeland Security, where he will roll out executive actions on immigration.
Staying true to form, Trump took to Twitter Tuesday night, and posted, “Big day planned on NATIONAL SECURITY tomorrow. Among many other things, we will build the wall!”
Trump's push for a border wall started with his campaign announcement back in June 2015.
"I would build a Great Wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I'll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border and I will have Mexico pay for that wall, mark my words," Trump said at the time.
His wall announcement a rally cry for both his supporters and opponents. His supporters saw a candidate speaking plainly about border security, while his opponents called the plan divisive.
The New York Times reported that Wednesday's order will be signed the same day the Mexican foreign minister,  Luis Videgaray,   arrives in Washington prior to his country’s president’s trip at the end of the month.
Trump also expected to move forward with plans to curb funding of sanctuary cities that don't arrest or detain immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, which could cost individual jurisdictions millions of dollars.
A source told The Wall Street Journal that Trump, later this week, may order the suspension of entries to the U.S. from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Libya.
Other executive actions expected Wednesday include bolstering border patrol agents and ending what Republicans have argued is a catch-and-release system at the border. Currently, some immigrants caught crossing the border illegally are given notices to report back to immigration officials at a later date.
Trump's insistence that Mexico would pay for the wall was among his most popular proposals on the campaign trail, sparking enthusiastic cheers at his raucous rallies. Mexico has repeatedly said it will not pay for any border wall and Trump has not provided specific details about the project.
Earlier this month, Trump said the building project would initially be paid for with a congressionally approved spending bill and Mexico will eventually reimburse the U.S., though he has not specified how he would guarantee payments.
The reported that the low-ball project estimate is $10 billion. The Government Accountability Office reportedly said it may cost $6.5 million per mile for a single-layer of fencing.
Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, said Tuesday that Trump’s priority is focusing on those “who pose a threat to people in our country.”

Obama Palestinian Cartoons