Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Sanctuary City Funding Threat

A federal judge in San Francisco has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to withhold federal funding from sanctuary jurisdictions. Judge William Orrick issued the injunction, siding with 16 cities and counties, arguing that Trump’s administration unlawfully pressured local officials to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts.

A federal judge in San Francisco has delivered a significant blow to the Trump administration's immigration policies by halting efforts to withhold federal funding from several sanctuary jurisdictions. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge William Orrick, came in response to a lawsuit initiated by 16 cities and counties, led by San Francisco.

The lawsuit argued that the administration's actions were an overreach, as it attempted to penalize these jurisdictions for exercising their rights to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The executive order threatening to cut off federal funding was seen as an attempt to force compliance with federal immigration laws, including those enforced by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The legal battle is part of a broader conflict between the Trump administration and various states and cities, such as Illinois and Chicago, that have adopted sanctuary laws to protect undocumented immigrants. The Justice Department has also challenged a New York law prohibiting state cooperation with federal immigration authorities, highlighting the ongoing tension in immigration policy enforcement.

(With inputs from agencies.)