Federal Judge Rules Trump’s Sanctuary City Order Likely Unconstitutional

A federal judge in California has blocked the Trump administration from enforcing executive orders that aimed to deny or condition federal funds to so-called 'sanctuary cities'—jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Judge William Orrick ruled that the orders were likely unconstitutional, echoing similar findings from 2017, and issued a preliminary injunction preventing the administration from withholding, freezing, or conditioning federal funds to these cities and counties. The court found the orders violated constitutional principles, including the separation of powers, the Spending Clause, and the Tenth and Fifth Amendments, by usurping congressional authority and coercing local officials to enforce federal immigration law. The ruling affects more than a dozen municipalities, including several in California, Minnesota, New Mexico, Connecticut, Washington, and Oregon. The judge also required the administration to notify all federal departments and agencies of the injunction. The Justice Department had argued the cities lacked standing, but the court disagreed, citing potential irreparable harm and budgetary uncertainty for the affected jurisdictions.