Federal judge blocks Trump administration funding cuts to sanctuary cities
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A federal judge has made a ruling that bars the Trump administration from cutting funding to 34 cities and counties that have “sanctuary” policies in place. These policies limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
U.S. District Judge William Orrick, who previously issued an order protecting over a dozen other cities and counties, has extended a preliminary injunction that prevents the administration from pulling federal funds or placing conditions on the use of these funds for local jurisdictions.
The judge has also blocked the administration from imposing immigration-related conditions on two grant programs.
Orrick noted that the administration’s only argument against extending the injunction was that the initial order was incorrect after they appealed the first ruling.
FEDERAL JUDGE TOSSES TRUMP DOJ LAWSUIT AGAINST SANCTUARY POLICIES IN CHICAGO
A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration cannot cut funding to 34 cities and counties in response to so-called “sanctuary” policies. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Getty Images)
The Trump administration has been ramping up pressure on sanctuary jurisdictions as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement plan.
Trump’s executive order directed Attorney General Pam Bondi and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to withhold federal funding from sanctuary communities. This order also instructed all federal agencies to ensure that payments to state and local governments do not support policies that aim to shield undocumented immigrants from deportation, as reported by The Associated Press.
TRUMP DOJ SUES NEW YORK CITY OVER LONG-STANDING SANCTUARY IMMIGRATION POLICIES
Trump has signed an order directing Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to withhold federal money from sanctuary communities. (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)
Several cities and counties have taken legal action against the federal government, highlighting that billions of dollars in funding were at risk. The Justice Department has also filed suits against multiple cities, including New York and Los Angeles, over their sanctuary policies.
Orrick deemed Trump’s orders and the subsequent executive actions as a “coercive threat” that he found to be unconstitutional.
Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security published a list of over 500 sanctuary jurisdictions that were deemed noncompliant with the administration’s directives. The department indicated that each of these jurisdictions would receive formal notifications.
Many cities and counties sued the federal government following executive action to withhold funds. (Getty Images)
DHS also stated that it would inform these local communities if they were potentially breaching any federal criminal statutes.
The list was subsequently removed from the DHS website after it was discovered that it included communities that aligned with the administration’s immigration policies, according to the AP.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
