Texas Gov. Greg Abbott joined Maria Bartiromo on Sunday to discuss his state legislature’s plan to penalize cities and other smaller jurisdictions - including college campus police - who provide sanctuary to illegal immigrants.

"When you look at the function of government - federal, state or local - our primary function as government is to keep our people safe," Abbott said.

He revealed that he's already withheld money from Travis County - where the city of Austin is located - as they work on the bill.

"The state of Texas has grant contracts with Travis County," Abbott explained. "In those contracts, we put in there the terms that in order for them to receive grant money, they had to not have any type of sanctuary city policy."

He said the bill they're working on in the state legislature will impose even stiffer penalties on sanctuary cities.

Abbott said the bill would slap sanctuary cities and other jurisdictions with fines of about $25,000 per day, and it would expose any sheriff or official to jail time if they release a criminal illegal immigrant without cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

"There are some officials in the state of Texas, as well as across the United States, who simply do not want to apply the rule of law in their jurisdiction, who want to promote lawlessness. And it's inexcusable," Abbott said. "And one tool that we now have is the ability to remove these officials from office by subjecting them to criminal penalty by forcing them into the jail that they are letting people out of."

Watch more above.

'An Annual Narcissism Fest': Malkin Slams White House Correspondents' Dinner

Gutfeld: 'President Trump Kicked the Media's Rump'

Conway on Trump's First 100 Days: 'Promises Made, Promises Kept'

Poll: 67% of Americans Say the Democratic Party Is Out of Touch