A federal judge in California has blocked the Trump administration from cutting off federal funding to sanctuary cities that limit cooperation with immigration authorities.
Key Insights
- US District Judge William Orrick, an Obama appointee, issued an injunction prohibiting the administration from withholding, freezing, or conditioning federal funds to sanctuary jurisdictions.
- The ruling impacts 16 cities and counties, including San Francisco, which led the legal challenge against Trump’s executive orders.
- This marks the second time Trump’s attempts to financially penalize sanctuary cities have been blocked, following a similar ruling during his first term.
- The Justice Department had argued the case was premature since no specific funding had yet been withheld.
- Sanctuary jurisdictions typically limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
Judge Halts Trump’s Executive Orders
US District Judge William Orrick issued a nationwide injunction blocking the Trump administration from denying federal funds to sanctuary jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The ruling, requested by San Francisco and 15 other municipalities, prevents the administration from “directly or indirectly taking any action to withhold, freeze, or condition federal funds” to these jurisdictions. The judge determined portions of Trump’s executive orders were unconstitutional, effectively stopping a key component of the president’s immigration enforcement strategy.
The lawsuit challenged executive orders that directed the withholding of federal money from sanctuary jurisdictions and required federal agencies to ensure payments did not support sanctuary policies that, in the words of one order, “abet so-called ‘sanctuary’ policies that seek to shield illegal aliens from deportation.” Judge Orrick’s ruling requires written notice of the order to all federal departments and agencies, ensuring compliance throughout the administration. The case represents the latest development in a years-long legal battle over immigration enforcement.
JUST IN: US judge blocks Trump from withholding funds from 16 'sanctuary' cities, counties https://t.co/cV4vQjhvpa pic.twitter.com/49xX74RYoh
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Legal Déjà Vu: A Repeat of 2017
In issuing his ruling, Judge Orrick noted the similarities to a 2017 case, stating, “Here we are again,” and saying that the Trump administration was making “essentially the same argument” as before. During Trump’s first term, San Francisco successfully challenged a similar executive order, with the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that the president had exceeded his authority. The judge said that the municipalities’ “well-founded fear of enforcement is even stronger than it was in 2017.”
Justice Department lawyers had argued it was premature to grant an injunction since no specific actions had been taken to withhold funds. However, Judge Orrick dismissed this argument, saying it had been previously addressed in the 2017 case. The lawsuit claimed the executive orders violated constitutional separation of powers by infringing on Congress’s authority over federal spending, while also violating the 10th Amendment by forcing local officials to enforce federal immigration law.
Sanctuary Cities and the Immigration Debate
Sanctuary policies typically prevent local law enforcement from assisting federal immigration officers in various ways. San Francisco and other plaintiffs, including Seattle, Portland, Minneapolis, New Haven, and Santa Fe, argue these policies enhance community safety by maintaining trust between immigrant communities and local authorities. Local leaders maintain that sanctuary policies allow them to focus resources on local crime rather than federal immigration enforcement, which they view as a federal responsibility. However, many conservatives have argued that sanctuary policies merely serve to help local governments get around federal laws.
The legal challenge came after the US Department of Justice sued Illinois and Chicago over their sanctuary laws. The administration has also challenged a New York law that restricts sharing vehicle and address information with federal immigration authorities. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently reminded federal funding recipients of their obligation to follow federal law, including immigration enforcement measures, highlighting the ongoing tension between federal and local authorities over immigration policy enforcement.
Sources
- Judge bars Trump from denying federal funds to ‘sanctuary’ cities that limit immigration cooperation
- Judge blocks Trump from withholding funds from 16 ‘sanctuary’ cities, counties
- Federal judge blocks Trump from pulling federal funding from sanctuary cities
- Judge blocks order aiming to cut federal funding to sanctuary cities like Rochester
