Copyright Chicago Sun-Times
Illinois, along with 19 other states, won yet another victory in court Tuesday, with a federal judge siding with them and blocking the Trump administration from withholding federal transportation money over cooperation with its nationwide immigration blitzes. Rhode Island District Judge John R. McConnell issued a permanent injunction barring the Trump administration from withholding the transportation money over “arbitrary and capricious” conditions it set for states to work with feds on immigration enforcement. In his decision, he said the Department of Transportation “blatantly overstepped” its authority in an attempt to “coerce states into cooperating with federal civil immigration enforcement.” “The Constitution demands the court set aside this lawless behavior,” the decision reads. It comes more than a month after Illinois and other states saw another similar court victory after a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from withholding disaster relief from states with “sanctuary laws” on the books. “The billions of dollars appropriated by Congress are essential to states’ efforts to keep our residents safe as they travel our roads, railways and the skies,” said Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. “It is outrageous that the administration would attempt to hold critical funding — that has nothing to do with immigration — hostage to force states into complying with its cruel immigration policies.” The Department of Transportation didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
