A federal judge has ruled against the Trump administration’s directive aimed at withholding transportation funds from states that do not comply with federal immigration policies. On Tuesday, U.S. District Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. issued a permanent injunction against the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), stating that the administration had significantly overstepped its authority by attaching immigration-related conditions to federal funding.
In his ruling, Judge McConnell emphasized that “none of the statutes cited by DOT expressly afford it the kind of sweeping authority it claims.” He pointed out that transportation grant programs have specific terms and conditions that cannot be arbitrarily broadened to include unrelated matters. He asserted, “The Constitution demands the court set aside this lawless behavior.”
The legal challenge was spearheaded by a coalition of 20 states, including California, which filed a lawsuit in May in Providence, Rhode Island. The lawsuit contested directives issued by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy outlining the administration’s requirements for states to receive congressionally approved funds. Duffy had previously stated, “Federal grants come with a clear obligation to adhere to federal laws,” referring to the need to enforce immigration rules and end policies deemed anti-American.
The DOT’s legal team argued that the agency had the right to impose conditions on grant agreements. However, Judge McConnell concluded that these conditions did not pertain to transportation issues. He noted that if Congress had intended for federal transportation funding to be contingent on cooperation with immigration enforcement, it could have explicitly stated so. “Absent any clear indication of such an attempt,” McConnell wrote, “the Court declines to find that DOT was vested with the sweeping power it asserts.”
Rhode Island’s Attorney General Peter Neronha, who has served since 2019, lauded the ruling as a significant setback for the Trump administration. “It should go without saying that the ability of Rhode Islanders to travel on safe roads and bridges cannot hang on the political whims of one man,” he remarked in a statement.
Judge McConnell’s decision marks the second legal setback for the Trump administration within a short period. Just days earlier, he ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to utilize contingency funds to prevent disruptions in benefits for households reliant on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Following this order, the USDA confirmed it would provide partial payments to beneficiaries. In light of President Trump’s statements on social media regarding funding, plaintiffs in that case have requested a temporary restraining order to ensure the USDA adheres to the court’s directive.
As the legal landscape continues to shift, this ruling underscores the ongoing tensions between state and federal authorities regarding the enforcement of immigration policies and the allocation of federal funds. The ramifications of Judge McConnell’s decision will likely reverberate across the political spectrum as discussions around immigration and federal funding policies persist.
