A federal judge recently upheld a preliminary injunction designed to prevent withholding federal tax funds from over 30 “sanctuary cities.” These cities have adopted policies that limit local law enforcement’s involvement in immigration enforcement.
The decision came from U.S. District Judge William Orrick in San Francisco, who was appointed by former President Obama. His original order faced little resistance from the Trump administration, which instead labeled the injunction as incorrect. Additionally, Orrick prohibited the imposition of conditions related to grant programs that support various essential services.
In his ruling, Orrick described the executive orders from the president that mandate federal agencies to pull funding from non-compliant jurisdictions as “unconstitutional” and a “forced threat.”
As of now, there has been no response from the White House regarding this matter.
The cities listed as “sanctuary cities” in the ruling include notable locations such as Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, and Chicago. This latest decision broadens the protection established in Orrick’s April ruling, which initially covered western cities like Oregon, Seattle, and San Francisco.
Despite the ruling, Attorney General Pam Bondy sent letters last week to several jurisdictions, warning them of possible legal actions if they continued to “weaken” or “obstruct” federal efforts.
In May, the Department of Homeland Security disclosed a list of 500 cities, counties, and states that did not adhere to the administration’s interpretation of immigration law, although that list has since been removed.
Since President Trump’s return to office in January, funding for crackdowns on illegal immigration has increased. Recent spending and tax legislation has also allocated additional resources to immigration enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE).
The uptick in ICE deportation actions, particularly in cities led by Democrats, has prompted nationwide protests. Moreover, Democratic leaders have criticized the administration’s push to construct more immigration detention facilities, including one dubbed the “Alligator Alcatraz” in Florida’s Everglades, intended for individuals awaiting deportation.
