President Trump on Thursday said the government will begin holding back funds for sanctuary cities – like New York – following a federal appeals court decision last month.

“As per recent Federal Court ruling, the Federal Government will be withholding funds from Sanctuary Cities,” Trump tweeted. “They should change their status and go non-Sanctuary. Do not protect criminals!”

The US Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled on Feb. 26 that the government can withhold millions in dollars in law enforcement grants to cities and states that do not give US Immigration and Customs Enforcement access to jails and alert the agency when an illegal immigrant is being released.

The decision overturned a lower court ruling ordering the administration to release the funds.

The Big Apple joined seven states – New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington – that sued the government in 2017 after the Justice Department said it would block the funds.

The appeals court ruling pertained to the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant, named after the NYPD officer killed in 1988 in Queens, that is handed out to local governments to assist with law enforcement.