Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Immigration Funding Order, Urgent Ruling

UPDATE: A federal judge has delivered a significant blow to President Donald Trump‘s administration, issuing a ruling that blocks the use of federal transportation funds to punish states for non-compliance with immigration policies. This urgent decision was announced by U.S. District Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. on Tuesday, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal battle over federal funding and immigration enforcement.

In a permanent injunction against the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Judge McConnell ruled that the administration had “blatantly overstepped” its authority by imposing immigration-related requirements on federal funds. He stated, “None of the statutes cited by DOT expressly afford it the kind of sweeping authority it claims,” emphasizing that conditions imposed were unrelated to transportation issues.

The ruling comes as a response to a lawsuit filed by a coalition of 20 states, led by California, challenging Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy‘s directive from April that outlined conditions for receiving critical transportation funding. Duffy had claimed that adherence to federal immigration laws was a necessary requirement, stating, “Federal grants come with a clear obligation to adhere to federal laws.”

Judge McConnell countered this assertion, arguing that if Congress intended to tie transportation funding to immigration compliance, it would have done so explicitly. “Had Congress wished to try to make federal transportation funding contingent on cooperation with federal civil immigration enforcement, it could certainly have attempted to do so,” he wrote in his ruling.

Rhode Island’s Attorney General Peter Neronha praised the decision as a victory for the rights of citizens. “It should go without saying that the ability of Rhode Islanders to travel on safe roads and bridges cannot hang on the political whims of one man,” Neronha stated.

This decision is not an isolated incident; it follows another recent ruling by McConnell ordering the U.S. Department of Agriculture to utilize contingency funds to prevent disruptions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The USDA confirmed on Monday it would provide partial payments to beneficiaries, responding to concerns raised after Trump’s social media statements suggested funding would halt until the government reopens.

As this situation develops, observers are watching closely to see how the Trump administration will respond to this latest legal setback. The implications of these rulings extend beyond transportation funding; they raise critical questions about the limits of federal authority and the extent to which immigration policies can influence state-level funding.

This urgent ruling reflects broader tensions in the ongoing debate over immigration and federal funding. It underscores the importance of judicial oversight in ensuring that federal powers are not exercised unlawfully.

Stay tuned for further developments on this breaking story, as the impact of Judge McConnell’s ruling continues to unfold.