Small Business Administration Closes Offices in Six Sanctuary Cities

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced plans to relocate its offices from six 'sanctuary cities'—Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York City, and Seattle—due to their non-compliance with federal immigration laws. SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler emphasized that the agency aims to prioritize American citizens and will implement a new policy requiring loan applicants to verify their U.S. citizenship, effectively cutting off access to loans for illegal aliens. The relocations are part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration to reinforce border security and reduce support for cities that limit cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The mayors of the affected cities recently testified before Congress regarding their sanctuary policies, highlighting the ongoing tension between local and federal immigration enforcement. Despite the relocations, SBA services will remain available, and specific new locations for the offices have yet to be announced. This move signals a significant shift in how federal resources will be allocated in relation to immigration policies.