No Borders NewsIllinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, working with a coalition of 20 state attorneys general, won a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration over proposed immigration-enforcement conditions tied to federal transportation funding.
The court order, issued by Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, blocks the U.S. Department of Transportation from imposing broad requirements that would pressure states and state agencies to cooperate with federal civil immigration enforcement in exchange for billions in federal dollars.
Raoul and the coalition argue that Congress appropriated transportation money for infrastructure and public safety, not immigration enforcement, and that DOT does not have legal authority to add immigration-related conditions to all federal transportation funds. They also say threatening to withhold funding could harm public infrastructure and weaken trust needed for criminal investigations.
The announcement notes that Illinois received more than $2 billion in DOT grant money last year, used for maintaining the National Highway System, roads and bridges, bike paths, transit facilities, public ports, and airports. The coalition says these projects help prevent injuries and fatalities from traffic accidents and reduce risks such as train collisions.
Raoul is leading the lawsuit with attorneys general from California, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, with additional states joining the filing. The injunction is described as preliminary, so the underlying case may continue, and readers should check the official court and agency updates for further developments.