'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,' says Rhode Island judge
A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a policy that would have required nearly two dozen mostly Democratic states to cooperate with federal immigration authorities to receive billions of dollars in transportation funding.
Back in April, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had warned that his department might cut funding to any states or recipients that did not generally cooperate with federal law enforcement, particularly in immigration matters—part of a broader effort to pressure so-called sanctuary jurisdictions.
In response, 20 states filed a lawsuit, arguing that the administration lacked the legal authority to link transportation grants—which are vital for maintaining roads, airports, and infrastructure—to compliance with immigration enforcement.
US District Judge John McConnell ruled in favor of the states on Thursday, granting a preliminary injunction that stops the administration from implementing the new rules while the case proceeds in court.
Judge McConnell said the policy is “arbitrary and capricious,” lacking clear guidance on what kind of cooperation would be required from the states.
He added that the federal government is attempting to impose conditions on transportation funding that Congress never intended, jeopardizing critical infrastructure projects required for public safety and mobility.
"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," the Rhode Island judge said.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, representing one of the 20 plaintiff states, praised the court's ruling in a statement, accusing President Trump of attempting to pressure state and local governments into carrying out his agenda.
"President Trump is threatening to withhold critical transportation funds unless states agree to carry out his inhumane and illogical immigration agenda for him. He is treating these funds—funds that go toward improving our roads and keeping our planes in the air—as a bargaining chip," he added.
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