Court upholds ‘sanctuary’ states’ funding

NEW YORK — President Donald Trump’s administration can’t withhold over $29 million from six states and New York City in a clash over their immigration policies as “sanctuary” jurisdictions, a federal judge said Friday in the latest of several similar rulings around the country.

Friday’s decision involves Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington state, and the state and city of New York. It follows similar opinions by federal courts in California, Illinois and Pennsylvania.

However, there’s no nationwide ruling — at least for now — on whether the federal government can block states, cities and counties from receiving grants from a long-existing public safety program if they limit their cooperation with immigration officials.

The federal Department of Justice declined to comment on Friday’s ruling.

Trump has emphasized cracking down on illegal immigration and often casts it as a public safety threat. Shortly after taking office last year, he issued an order barring federal grants to “sanctuary” cities in many circumstances.

Targeted states and cities challenged the action in court, saying that turning police into de facto immigration agents discourages immigrants from reporting crimes or aiding investigations.

U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos agreed, ruling that the information-sharing requirement “impinges on [the states’ and city’s] sovereign authority and their citizens’ liberty to be regulated under their preferred state and local policies,” he wrote.