Judge blocks part of U.S. president’s order on sanctuary cities

U.S - A federal judge ruled Tuesday against part of an executive order of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The 49-page temporary ruling by Judge William Orrick III of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, said Trump cannot coerce “sanctuary cities” to cooperate with immigration officers by withdrawing federal funds. It followed a 70-minute court hearing on April 14 over San Francisco and Santa Clara County’s lawsuits over the executive order signed by Trump on Jan. 25, which directed the administration’s attorney-general and homeland security secretary to make sure that sanctuary jurisdictions “are not eligible to receive federal grants, except as deemed necessary for law enforcement purposes.” The executive order, issued five days after the president took office, was the third of the kind blocked by different judges in the U.S. federal court system. Previously, Trump’s executive orders limiting the entry into the United States by citizens of some Muslimmajority countries were subject to similar injunction. Trump, who would be in the White House for 100 days on Saturday, so far has signed 26 executive orders. Alleging that sanctuary cities allow dangerous criminals among illegal immigrants back on the street, Trump promised on his campaign trail that there would be no more federal funding for sanctuary cities. The lawsuits on Jan. 31 by city and county of San Francisco and on Feb. 3 by county of Santa Clara before the federal court requested for an injunction to halt the enforcement of the order. “Although the defunding provision has not yet been enforced against any jurisdiction,” wrote Judge Orrick, “governmental leaders have made numerous statements reaffirming the government’s intent to enforce the order and to use the threat of withholding federal funds as a tool to coerce states and local jurisdictions to change their policies.” On March 27, U.S. Attorney-General Jeff Sessions said the administration could seek to take back some funds already granted to the cities. (Xinhuanet.com)