Federal Judge Halts Trump Admin's Move to Withhold Funds from Sanctuary Cities

A federal judge in San Francisco just delivered a sharp rebuke to the Trump administration’s attempt to choke off federal funding for so-called "sanctuary" cities and counties. U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick ruled that the administration’s efforts to withhold money from jurisdictions not cooperating with federal immigration enforcement are unconstitutional. Cue the sound of slamming gavels and probably some heavy sighs in D.C.

Judge Orrick, an Obama-era appointee, found that the executive orders targeting sanctuary policies violated the Constitution’s separation of powers and the Spending Clause. According to his decision, the order also crossed the line by being "unconstitutionally vague" and running afoul of due process under the Fifth Amendment. But it didn’t stop there—he said Trump’s move violated the Tenth Amendment by trying to strong-arm local officials into doing the federal government’s bidding on immigration enforcement. That’s a lot of constitutional baggage for one executive order to carry.

Orrick noted that cities and counties affected by the policy faced irreparable harm, pointing to budget uncertainties, threats to constitutional rights, and damaged relationships between local governments and the communities they serve. Basically, it’s not just about the money—it’s about trust and stability too.

With the preliminary injunction in place, the judge made it clear: federal officials are blocked from taking any action to freeze, withhold, or attach conditions to these federal funds. So for now, sanctuary jurisdictions can breathe a little easier, at least until the next round of legal wrangling.

This story is still unfolding. Stay tuned for more updates as the legal drama continues.