Judge Blocks Transportation Department From Withholding Funds From States That Defy Federal Immigration Policy

A group of Democratic attorneys general secured a favorable ruling by a federal judge in Rhode Island on June 19 to temporarily block the Trump administration’s plan to withhold transportation grant funding for states that refuse to go along with its immigration polices.

Two days earlier, in the wake of recent anti-immigration riots in Los Angeles rife with looting, destruction of personal property, and physical impediment of immigration officials, Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy said on X: “The @USDOT will NOT fund rogue state actors who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. And to cities that stand by while rioters destroy transportation infrastructure—don’t expect a red cent from DOT, either. Follow the law, or forfeit the funding.”

His X post was in response to President Donald Trump’s Truth Social post that same day saying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers should “do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.”

“In order to achieve this, we must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America’s largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside,” the president wrote.

“I want ICE, Border Patrol, and our Great and Patriotic Law Enforcement Officers, to FOCUS on our crime-ridden and deadly Inner Cities, and those places where Sanctuary Cities play such a big role.”

The Democratic state attorneys general filed a lawsuit on May 13 over Duffy’s defunding policy announced in April.

They argued that the administration was attempting to unlawfully withhold federal funds to force compliance. They also argued that Duffy did not have the authority to impose such conditions on funding already appropriated by Congress to help states maintain roads, bridges, highways, and other projects.

“He’s treating these funds, which have nothing to do with immigration enforcement and everything to do with the safety of our communities, as a bargaining chip. But this is not a game,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in an earlier statement.

Chief U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Providence, Rhode Island, granted the coalition’s request for an injunction barring the Department of Transportation’s policy from taking effect, finding that they were likely to succeed on the merits of at least some of their claims.

The administration, meanwhile, argued that the withholding of funds was within Duffy’s discretion and that the conditions should be upheld as there is nothing wrong with requiring states to adhere to federal law.

The Epoch Times reached out to the White House for comment.

Reuters, Aldgra Fredly, and Naveen Athrappully contributed to this report.