US EditionUS judge blocks Trump plan to tie states' transportation funds to immigration enforcement
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR RHODE ISLAND, JUN 19 – Judge John J. McConnell Jr. ruled the Trump administration exceeded its authority by linking transportation funding to immigration enforcement, threatening billions in infrastructure aid for 20 states.
- On June 19, 2025, U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island ruled that the Trump administration lacks the authority to condition federal transportation funding to 20 Democratic-led states on their cooperation with immigration enforcement efforts.
- The ruling followed a May lawsuit asserting the Department of Transportation lacks authority to condition transportation grants on immigration enforcement, which McConnell found unconstitutional as violating the Spending Clause.
- Judge McConnell stated the immigration enforcement condition is not reasonably related to transportation funding, which is meant for infrastructure safety and maintenance like highways and bridges.
- McConnell stated that Congress did not provide the Secretary of Transportation with the power to attach immigration enforcement requirements to federal funding allocated for transportation, describing the directive as unreasonable and lacking clear guidelines.
- The ruling blocks the funding conditions and clarifies legal limits on federal power, eliciting relief from state officials and immigrant rights groups concerned about federal overreach.
198 Articles
198 Articles
Obama-appointed judge keeps taxpayer cash flowing to sanctuary states AlphaNews.org
Share This Story(Daily Caller News Foundation)—An Obama-appointed federal judge Thursday blocked the Trump administration from withholding funds from states that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned in April that he would likely begin to block grants from recipients that prohibit cooperation between local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). However, U.S. D…
States score a win in funds stoppage – The Bond Buyer
An attempt by the U.S. Department of Transportation to withhold infrastructure funding to states resisting the Trump administration's immigration restrictions has been thwarted by a federal judge.The states listed as plaintiffs opposing what's been dubbed the "Duffy Directive" include California, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Michigan, and Wisconsin as well as Nevada and Vermont, which have Republican governors.
Immigration enforcement can’t be tied to DOT funding, court say
A federal judge has stopped the Department of Transportation from linking funding to immigration policy. This ruling comes as Democratic states risk losing billions in transportation funds. Chief Judge John McConnell Jr. of the Rhode Island federal district court supported a group of Democratic states. His ruling stops the federal government from withholding transportation funds from states that don’t follow its immigration policies. “The states…
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