Obama Judge Blocks Trump From Defunding Sanctuary Cities

An Obama-appointed judge ruled on Friday that President Donald Trump can’t cut federal funding from dozens of cities and counties that officials have deemed “sanctuaries” for illegal immigrants.

U.S. District Judge William Orrick, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama in 2012, extended a preliminary injunction to block the Trump administration from pulling federal funds, or attaching immigration conditions to federal funds for local jurisdictions, according to a Fox News report.

The ruling protects more than 30 sanctuary jurisdictions, including Los Angeles, Baltimore, Boston, and Chicago.

Orrick additionally blocked Trump from placing similar immigration-related conditions on two grant programs.

The judge argued that Trump’s action to protect Americans from unvetted illegal immigrants, specifically by threatening to withhold federal funding, is unconstitutional coercion.

In January, Trump signed an executive order to cut off federal funding for sanctuary jurisdictions, moving to fulfill a widely-supported campaign promise. The EO, called “Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” directs the DOJ and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure “sanctuary jurisdictions” do not receive federal money. It further directs the DOJ and DHS to “evaluate and undertake any other lawful actions, criminal or civil, that they deem warranted based on any such jurisdiction’s practices that interfere with the enforcement of Federal law.”

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The administration has also targeted the worst of the worst, suing Los Angeles and New York City for such policies. The DOJ sued Los Angeles in June, arguing that city policies barring city resources from aiding in immigration enforcement operations or collecting information about individuals’ citizenship status violate federal law, Reuters reported. A month later, the DOJ took action against New York City for related immigration reasons.

Trump has spoken fiercely about wanting to defund sanctuary jurisdictions, deeming them a threat to the American people and the rule of law.

“No more Sanctuary Cities! They protect the Criminals, not the Victims. They are disgracing our Country, and are being mocked all over the World,” Trump posted back in April on Truth Social. “Working on papers to withhold all Federal Funding for any City or State that allows these Death Traps to exist!!!”

The Trump administration is expected to appeal the ruling.