President Donald Trump announced his administration would back off on some tariffs against Canada and Mexico amid a trade war involving the nations. NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern reports.
Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced Thursday that offices in six cities would be relocated because of their “sanctuary city” laws.
In an announcement Thursday, Loeffler revealed that the six offices would be relocated to “less costly, more accessible locations” as a result of their failure to “comply with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”
“Under President Trump, the SBA is committed to putting American citizens first again – starting by ensuring that zero taxpayer dollars go to fund illegal aliens,” Loeffler said in a statement.
Which cities will see their SBA offices relocated?
According to Loeffler’s order, offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York and Seattle will be relocated to other communities.
The mayors of Boston, Chicago, Denver and New York were summoned to appear before the House Oversight and Government Reform committee this week, with lawmakers questioning the mayors on “sanctuary city” policies that limit local law enforcement’s cooperation with federal immigration enforcement efforts.”
Where will the offices be relocated to?
Local
A spokesperson for the SBA’s Great Lakes Region told NBC Chicago that services related to the administration will not be impacted by the relocation, but could not provide details on where the office would be moving to.
“The timeline for the regional office move is forthcoming, but we expect it to occur in the coming months,” the spokesperson said.
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The Great Lakes Region covers Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin according to the SBA’s website.
There is another office located in Springfield, but it was not specifically targeted for closure by the order from Loeffler.
The SBA maintains offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as well as Indianapolis, Indiana and Grand Rapids, Michigan, according to its website.
What does the Small Business Administration do?
The SBA provides resources and support to small business owners looking to become entrepreneurs. Those resources are available when businesses are starting out or looking to expand, and are also made available after natural disasters.
What other changes are coming?
According to the Trump administration, applicants for SBA loans will have to verify their citizenship in order to be eligible, and lenders will be required to confirm that businesses are not owned “in whole or in part” by individuals in the United States without legal status.
