PULSE POINTS
WHAT HAPPENED: A far-left federal judge appointed by Barack Obama blocked President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to cut funding to sanctuary cities.
WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. District Judge William Orrick, President Trump, and numerous sanctuary jurisdictions.
WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued Friday, impacting over 30 cities, including Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Chicago.
IMPACT: Sanctuary jurisdictions remain protected from losing federal funds, but the Trump administration is expected to appeal the decision.
IN FULL
A far-left San Francisco judge, appointed to the bench by former President Barack Obama, ruled on Friday that the Trump administration cannot cut federal funding from dozens of cities and counties that have been designated as “sanctuaries” for illegal immigrants. Judge William Orrick—in the U.S. District Court Northern District of California—extended a preliminary injunction blocking the administration from withholding federal money or placing specific immigration-related conditions on grant programs.
The ruling protects more than 30 sanctuary jurisdictions, including major cities such as Los Angeles, Baltimore, Boston, and Chicago. Orrick also blocked the administration from placing similar immigration-related conditions on two grant programs. According to Orrick, Trump’s actions to withhold funding from these jurisdictions constitute unconstitutional coercion.
In January, Trump signed an Executive Order titled “Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” which cut off federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions. The order directed the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to ensure that these jurisdictions do not receive federal money and to pursue lawful actions against jurisdictions that interfere with federal law enforcement.
Judge Orrick, in his order expanding the number of cities protected by the injunction, acknowledges his underlying ruling is currently under appeal. Additionally, some legal scholars suggest the injunction—due to its application outside the U.S. District Court Northern District of California—violates a recent Supreme Court ruling limiting injunctions to their originating jurisdiction and only allowing for broader orders in the case of class action lawsuits.
Notably, Orrick issued a similar ruling on defunding sanctuary cities during Trump’s first term.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has also taken legal action against cities with sanctuary policies. In June, the DOJ sued Los Angeles, claiming its policies barring city resources from aiding immigration enforcement violated federal law. A month later, the DOJ filed a similar suit against New York City.
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The post Obama Judge Blocks Trump’s Effort to Defund Sanctuary Cities. appeared first on The National Pulse.
