In a recent ruling, a federal judge in Rhode Island blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to tie states’ cooperation with immigration enforcement to receiving transportation funds. US District Judge John McConnell granted a preliminary injunction to 20 mostly Democratic-led states, preventing the Department of Transportation from withholding billions of dollars in funding based on states’ compliance with federal immigration policies.

Judge McConnell emphasized that Congress did not grant the Secretary of Transportation authority to impose immigration enforcement conditions on transportation funds. This ruling adds to a series of legal setbacks for the Trump administration, with several states challenging various policies, from birthright citizenship to tariff decisions.

The president has frequently used federal funding as leverage in policy disputes with states and organizations. Previously, President Trump threatened to withhold funds from California and cut off federal grant funding for Harvard University over differing views on certain issues.

McConnell’s ruling criticized the lack of specificity in the immigration enforcement condition on funding, deeming it arbitrary and capricious. The lawsuit was brought by a coalition of states, and California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta praised the court’s decision, condemning the president’s use of funds as a bargaining tool.

This legal battle highlights the ongoing tensions between the federal government and states over immigration policies and funding allocations. The Department of Transportation has been approached for comment on the ruling, while the debate over federal funding and immigration enforcement continues to unfold in the legal arena.