A late Friday ruling by a judge determined that the Trump administration cannot withhold funding from Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and 30 other cities and counties because they have policies that restrict cooperation with federal immigration efforts.
U.S. District Judge William Orrick, located in San Francisco, extended a preliminary injunction preventing the administration from severing or conditioning the use of federal funds for these so-called “sanctuary” cities and counties. This ruling builds on an earlier order that safeguarded more than a dozen other cities and counties, such as San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle.
An email sent to the White House late on Friday did not receive an immediate response. Judge Orrick noted in his ruling that the administration offered no opposition to the prolonged injunction except to argue that the initial injunction was incorrect. The administration has since appealed the initial order.
Orrick also blocked the administration from imposing immigration-related conditions on two particular grant programs.
The Trump administration has been increasing pressure on sanctuary areas in line with President Donald Trump’s campaign pledge to deport millions of individuals living in the country illegally.
One executive order issued by Trump directs Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to withhold federal funds from sanctuary jurisdictions. Another order mandates that every federal agency ensures payments to state and local governments do not support “sanctuary” policies that aim to protect illegal aliens from deportation.
The cities and counties that sued said billions of dollars were at risk.
Orrick, appointed by President Barack Obama, described the executive orders and the actions reflecting them as an unconstitutional “coercive threat.”
In May, the Department of Homeland Security published a list of more than 500 “sanctuary jurisdictions,” saying each one would receive formal notification that the government had deemed them noncompliant. It also said it would inform them if they were believed to be in violation of any federal criminal statutes.
The list was later removed from the department’s website after critics noted it included localities that have actively supported the administration’s tough immigration policies.
The Justice Department has also sued New York, Los Angeles and other cities over their sanctuary policies.
There is no strict definition for sanctuary cities, but the terms generally describe places that limit cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE enforces immigration laws nationwide but seeks help from state and local authorities to identify immigrants wanted for deportation and hold them for federal officers.
