Judge Blocks DOT From Tying Transit Funds To ICE Compliance

A federal judge in Rhode Island ruled that the Department of Transportation cannot condition federal transit funding on state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, calling the administration’s attempt an overreach and unlawful. Judge John McConnell granted summary judgment to 20 Democratic-led states that sued after a DOT letter warned states to “comply fully” with federal immigration laws or risk losing funding. The ruling permanently enjoins the Transportation Department from implementing or enforcing the immigration enforcement condition and follows a prior preliminary injunction. The decision is part of a broader pattern of courts rejecting efforts to tie federal grants to ICE cooperation, including similar FEMA attempts.