Federal Judge rules against Trump administration, preventing them from mandating state cooperation with ICE for eligibility of transportation funds.
Feds Called Out on Immigration-Funding Tie:
In a bold move, a federal judge recently blocked the Trump administration from forcing nearly two dozen predominantly Democratic states to collaborate with immigration officials in exchange for billions in transportation funds.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy gave a heads up in April that his department might truncate grants for non-compliant recipients. His ultimatum included states adhering "generally" to federal law enforcement standards - a tactic to tackle so-called "sanctuary" jurisdictions.
A coalition of 20 statesFILE_HTML then filed a lawsuit, contending that the administration lacks the authorized jurisdiction to connect transportation dollars, essential for maintaining roads, airports, and other infrastructures, to immigration enforcement.
District Judge John McConnell aligned with the 20 plaintiff states on Thursday, granting a preliminary injunction that forbids the administration from implementing the revised immigration policies affecting "the States and their governmental subdivisions." Until the court proceedings wrap up, the policy stands deemed "arbitrary and capricious" for its wide scope and lack of specificity. The policy, McConnell wrote, fails to clarify how states should assist in immigration enforcement to qualify for Congress-approved transportation funds.
McConnell also stated that Congress has neither authorized nor given the Transportation Secretary the mandate to impose immigration enforcement conditions on federal funds allocated exclusively for transportation purposes.
Duffy termed the ruling "judicial activism pure and simple" and vowed to persist in legal battles. "I asked states craving federal DOT money to abide by federal immigration laws. However, an Obama-appointed judge ruled that states can defy our immigration laws," Duffy lamented.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, representing one of the 20 plaintiffs, applauded the decision, calling it a blow to President Trump's attempts to coerce state and local governments into enforcing his immigration agenda. "Trump is using transportation funds as a bargaining chip, threatening to withhold funds unless states endorse his unjust immigration policies. He thinks these funds, allocated for improving infrastructure, are bartering chips," Bonta opined.
Our News reached out to the White House and the Department of Transportation for comment.
The Trump administration has long threatened to withhold funds from "sanctuary cities" - cities and states that curtail local police from collaborating with federal immigration authorities. The administration contends these policies hinder agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement from apprehending undocumented immigrants, including those with criminal records. However, some jurisdictions insist that if local police are compelled to collaborate with ICE, immigrants may become less inclined to trust the police.
In April, a federal judge in San Francisco previously impeded the Trump administration from enforcing executive orders threatening to withdraw funds from "sanctuary cities."
On social media earlier this week, Duffy indicated that his department would not finance "rogue state actors" defying federal immigration enforcement. "And to cities standing aside while rioters demolish transportation infrastructure - don't anticipate a dime from DOT, either. Obey the law, or forfeit the funding," Duffy cautioned, possibly referring to protests against ICE in Los Angeles and other cities.
- United States Department of Transportation
- sanctuary cities
- Trump Administration
Jacob RosenJake Rosen is a reporter focusing on the Department of Justice. Prior to this, he covered President Trump's 2024 campaign and served as an associate producer for "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," working with Brennan for two years on the broadcast. Rosen has also worked as a producer for several our News podcasts, including "The Takeout," "The Debrief," and "Agent of Betrayal: The Double Life of Robert Hanssen."
- The United States Department of Transportation finds itself embroiled in a legal battle over its attempt to connect transportation funds to immigration enforcement, as a federal judge has deemed the policy "arbitrary and capricious".
- The Trump Administration's effort to withhold funds from 'sanctuary cities' has faced setbacks, with districts courts blocking the executive orders threatening to withdraw funds due to lack of authorized jurisdiction.
- In the ongoing dispute between the Department of Transportation and the 20 plaintiff states, District Judge John McConnell determined that Congress has neither authorized nor given the Transportation Secretary the mandate to impose immigration enforcement conditions on federal funds allocated exclusively for transportation purposes.
- Politics and policy-and-legislation have played a significant role in the funding tie controversy, as the court proceedings have prevented the administration from implementing revised immigration policies affecting states' and their governmental subdivisions' compliance with federal immigration laws.
