Former President Donald Trump has laid out a plan to challenge New York\u2019s congestion pricing in Manhattan and take action against the state\u2019s sanctuary policies for illegal migrants. Trump, in an interview with the New York Post, stated that he would use the federal Department of Transportation (DOT) to pressure New York into eliminating the controversial toll and that the Justice Department would be reviewing the state\u2019s sanctuary laws.<\/p>\n
Challenging Congestion Pricing<\/p>\n
Trump outlined potential federal actions against congestion pricing, which requires drivers to pay a $9 toll when entering Manhattan south of 60th Street during peak hours. According to Trump, the Department of Transportation has the power to withhold millions of dollars in federal funding or reopen the environmental review process that allowed the policy to move forward under the Biden administration.<\/p>\n
He also expressed optimism about working with New York Governor Kathy Hochul to reach a resolution. Out of \u201crespect\u201d for the governor, Trump declined to share details about their private discussions but noted that they had spoken at least twice about the toll. He suggested that their ongoing conversations might lead to a mutually beneficial agreement.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s really horrible, but I want to discuss it with her at this point,\u201d Trump said. \u201cIf I decide to do it, I will be able to kill it off in Washington through the Department of Transportation. It\u2019s a lot of power.\u201d<\/p>\n
The congestion pricing program, which took effect last month, is intended to generate revenue for improving public transit infrastructure and reducing subway ridership decline. However, Trump argues that it negatively impacts businesses in Manhattan, discouraging people from driving into the city. He believes the policy will further hurt New York\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n
\u201cTraffic is way down because people can\u2019t come into Manhattan, and it\u2019s only going to get worse,\u201d Trump stated. \u201cPeople don\u2019t know about it until they get the bill.\u201d<\/p>\n
Criticizing Public Transit and Safety Issues<\/p>\n
Beyond congestion pricing, Trump also voiced concerns over subway safety, arguing that city officials should focus on crime and cleanliness instead of new infrastructure projects. He pointed out cases of subway riders being pushed onto tracks by criminals and stated that authorities need to take a stricter approach to crime.<\/p>\n
\u201cCleanliness and efficiency are good, but they gotta get tough on the thugs. They can\u2019t be nice,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n
Additionally, Trump criticized the expansion of bike and pedestrian lanes, arguing that they contribute to increased traffic congestion and safety hazards.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey should get rid of the bike lanes and the sidewalks in the middle of the street,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019re so bad. They\u2019re dangerous. These [electric] bikes go at 20 miles an hour. They\u2019re whacking people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crackdown on Sanctuary Policies<\/p>\n
Trump also took aim at New York\u2019s sanctuary city policies, which limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. He warned that his administration would take legal action against the state and New York City to dismantle these policies, arguing that they protect criminals rather than law-abiding residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll have to sue the state and NYC,\u201d Trump said. \u201cThat\u2019s a great thing to be suing over, anywhere where they have sanctuary cities. \u2026 New York doesn\u2019t really want them. I don\u2019t think anyone wants it. I think the only ones who want it are corrupt politicians.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s remarks come shortly after the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, alleging that they obstructed federal immigration enforcement. Trump\u2019s former immigration chief, Tom Homan, also weighed in, stating that sanctuary cities are \u201csanctuaries for criminals.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump has long been a critic of sanctuary city policies, arguing that they endanger public safety by preventing the deportation of criminal illegal immigrants. He claims that most Americans, including many in New York, do not support these policies.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy would they want to protect criminals?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
Federal Funding at Risk<\/p>\n
New York is set to receive $36 billion in federal transportation funding over the next five years, but Trump warned that some of these funds could be withheld if the congestion pricing plan remains in place. He also suggested that other federal grants could be impacted as part of his broader efforts to reverse the policy.<\/p>\n
With congestion pricing revenues being used to improve public transit, Trump questioned the logic of forcing drivers to pay additional fees when public safety and cleanliness remain concerns.<\/p>\n
Instead of focusing on new tolls and bike lanes, Trump insisted that the city should prioritize making the subway safer and addressing crime.<\/p>\n
Future Plans and Political Strategy<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s aggressive stance on congestion pricing and sanctuary policies aligns with his broader political strategy as he prepares for the upcoming presidential election. By focusing on economic and public safety issues, he aims to appeal to voters frustrated with New York\u2019s current policies.<\/p>\n
His criticism of congestion pricing resonates with many business owners and commuters who feel the additional fees place an unnecessary burden on them. His tough stance on sanctuary cities also appeals to those concerned about crime and illegal immigration.<\/p>\n
As the battle over these policies unfolds, Trump\u2019s potential influence over federal funding and legal actions could significantly impact New York\u2019s approach to congestion pricing and immigration laws. Whether his administration follows through on these threats will depend on political and legal developments in the coming months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Former President Donald Trump has laid out a plan to challenge New York\u2019s congestion pricing in Manhattan and take action against the state\u2019s sanctuary policies for illegal migrants. Trump, in an interview with the New York Post, stated that he would use the federal Department of Transportation (DOT) to pressure New York into eliminating the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25464","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25464"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25464\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25465,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25464\/revisions\/25465"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newzdiscover.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}