A federal judge on Thursday, June 19, ruled that the Trump administration cannot withhold billions of dollars in federal funds from 20 Democratic-led states in order to force them to cooperate with immigration enforcement. U.S. District Judge John McConnell of Providence, Rhode Island, ruled that the Department of Transportation (DOT) does not have the authority to compel states to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), calling the requirement unconstitutional.
McConnell’s ruling
In his decision, McConnell said the administration failed to establish a reasonable link between immigration enforcement and the purpose of the federal funds, which are designated for highways, bridges and other transportation projects.
“Congress did not authorize or grant authority to the Secretary of Transportation to impose immigration enforcement conditions on federal dollars specifically appropriated for transportation purposes,” McConnell wrote in his ruling.
The lawsuit
McConnell, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, issued a preliminary injunction blocking the funding condition from being enforced against the 20 states that filed suit.
President Donald Trump and his administration have yet to respond to the ruling.
The case stems from a lawsuit brought by Democratic state attorneys general, who argued the administration illegally threatened to withhold money to pressure states into cooperating with federal immigration raids.
The attorneys general specifically named Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who warned on April 24 that states could lose transportation funds if they failed to assist with ICE operations and the enforcement of federal immigration law.
Executive orders
Since returning to the White House on Jan. 20, Trump has signed a series of executive orders targeting so-called sanctuary cities, calling for funding cuts to cities and states that don’t comply with federal immigration enforcement. He has also pledged to launch the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history.
Sanctuary laws
Sanctuary cities and states typically have statutes that prevent or restrict local authorities from cooperating with federal agencies on civil immigration enforcement, including arrests and detainers.
Democratic California Attorney General Rob Bonta responded to McConnell’s ruling in a statement, saying the president was “treating these funds – funds that go toward improving our roads and keeping planes in the air – as a bargaining chip.”
Another legal challenge pending
The ruling comes as 20 Democratic-led states are suing the Trump administration in a similar case in Rhode Island in an effort to halt the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from imposing rules that force states to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement as a condition for them to receive grants from the department.
