Obama Judge Blocks Trump Plan to Slash Funding For States That Refuse to Cooperate With ICE

A federal judge has temporarily stopped the Trump administration from cutting off transportation funding to states that refuse to cooperate with immigration enforcement. The ruling marks a setback in the administration’s broader effort to pressure sanctuary states and cities through federal purse strings.

Key Facts:

U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. issued a preliminary injunction on Thursday in Rhode Island.
The injunction blocks the Trump administration from denying transportation funds to states that reject immigration enforcement cooperation.
Twenty Democrat-led states sued the administration over a Department of Transportation policy tied to immigration compliance.
Judge McConnell ruled the policy violated the Administrative Procedure Act and exceeded federal authority under the Spending Clause.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has continued to warn non-cooperative states they shouldn’t expect infrastructure funding.

The Rest of The Story:

The Trump administration had pursued a Department of Transportation policy that tied federal infrastructure funds to cooperation with immigration enforcement.

The move followed an executive order from Trump on his first day in office targeting sanctuary jurisdictions that obstruct or ignore Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.

Judge John J. McConnell Jr., in his ruling, wrote that the administration’s approach was “unconstitutional and/or unlawful” and exceeded its legal bounds.

“The Court forbids and enjoins any attempt to implement the Immigration Enforcement Condition,” he stated, referencing what’s known as the “Duffy Directive.”

The injunction now bars the federal government from using this condition to withhold or revoke funding without clear statutory authority from Congress.

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy has doubled down on the administration’s position.

Earlier in the week, he warned, “The USDOT will not fund rogue state actors who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.”

He specifically cited cities like Los Angeles where protests and riots have damaged transportation infrastructure.

Once again, the Trump administration must fight an out-of-control district judge! **APPEAL IN 3… 2… 1**

Federal judge halts Trump's plan to cut funding for sanctuary states that refuse to cooperate

U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell Jr. issued the preliminary… pic.twitter.com/U0KBNYEzvY

— Steve Gruber (@stevegrubershow) June 20, 2025

Commentary:

This is another textbook example of judicial overreach standing in the way of common-sense governance.

The Trump administration, backed by the will of voters and federal law, has made it clear: cities and states that actively obstruct ICE operations shouldn’t expect to receive taxpayer-funded handouts.

Judge McConnell’s ruling substitutes legal formalism for accountability.

Sanctuary jurisdictions not only ignore federal immigration laws but in some cases actively work against them.

Blocking the administration from tying funding to basic cooperation effectively rewards that behavior.

This kind of judicial interference undermines the very idea of conditional federal grants.

Washington routinely attaches strings to funding for education, transportation, and healthcare.

Why is it suddenly unacceptable to ask states to comply with immigration law if they want the money?

It’s telling that the judge found the administration’s move “ultra vires,” or beyond its legal authority.

Yet when cities openly defy federal immigration law, no such concern seems to apply.

The federal government should not be forced to bankroll defiance.

More importantly, these sanctuary jurisdictions jeopardize national security and public safety.

When local governments shield criminal aliens from ICE, they’re not just making a political statement—they’re putting communities at risk.

Transportation Secretary Duffy is right to call out these states.

“Don’t expect a red cent,” he warned, and he’s correct.

There’s no reason for taxpayers in places like Texas, Florida, or Ohio to subsidize lawlessness in California or New York.

Republicans in Congress should take this moment seriously.

They control both chambers.

Instead of getting bogged down in pointless committee drama or media grandstanding, they should pass legislation giving the administration the authority this judge claims it lacks.

Trump was elected to clean up the mess Washington created.

Let him do it.

If rogue cities won’t cooperate, then it’s time to cut them off—plain and simple.