The Trump administration added Chicago to the list of blue cities and states whose federal funds are being withheld during the government shutdown, Meanwhile, red Florida was reimbursed the costs for two controversial immigration detention facilities.
White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought announced Oct. 3 that $2.1 billion in promised federal funds for Chicago’s transit system have been paused.
Vought earlier announced that $18 billion in infrastructure funds for New York, the home state of Democratic congressional leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, had been put on hold and $8 billion in Department of Energy projects in 16 blue states was cut.
The news site Notus reported that federal funding for similar energy projects in red states hasn’t been cut.
Democrats have complained about the funding cuts.
“We’re less than a day into this shutdown, and Trump & Vought are illegally punishing Democrat-led states,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, said on social media Oct. 1, calling the moves “mafioso tactics.”
Meanwhile, the federal government reimbursed the state of Florida over a half-billion dollars for its state-run immigration facilities hours before the nationwide government shutdown.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Oct. 2 that the Federal Emergency Management Agency gave the state $608 million to pay for the construction and management of the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz“ and “Deportation Depot” immigrant detention centers, which Florida officials say are totally state-run facilities.
“Alligator Alcatraz,” in the Big Cypress National Preserve, was the first detention facility the state opened. Before the facility received its first detainees on July 3, DeSantis and other Florida officials gave a tour to President Donald Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Trump has talked about cutting “Democrat things” during the shutdown.
The president said on social media Oct. 2 that he was meeting with Vought “to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent.”
The president has feuded with Chicago leaders amid threats to deploy the National Guard in the city.
Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Russell Vought speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 17, 2025.
The Department of Homeland Security recently requested the National Guard deploy in Illinois “to safeguard Federal personnel, property, and functions,” according to the Pentagon.
“Any decisions will be made in accordance with established processes and announced at the appropriate time,” said Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump administration freezes funding for Chicago amid shutdown