Latest news with #Congressionally
CNN
9 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
Judge blocks Trump administration from tying transportation funds to states' cooperation with immigration efforts
A federal judge in Rhode Island blocked the Trump administration from using states' cooperation with immigration efforts as a condition for receiving transportation funds. US District Judge John McConnell granted a preliminary injunction to 20 mostly Democratic-led states that filed a lawsuit last month to prevent the Department of Transportation from cutting off billions of dollars in funding if the states refused to comply with federal immigration enforcement. In his Thursday ruling, McConnell, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama, said, 'Congress did not authorize or grant authority to the Secretary of Transportation to impose immigration enforcement conditions on federal dollars specifically appropriated for transportation purposes.' The ruling is the latest legal setback for President Donald Trump's administration. Many state attorneys general have sued over issues ranging from the president's bid to end birthright citizenship to his tariff policies. The president has used federal funding as leverage amid policy disagreements with different states and organizations. He threatened to withhold funds from California over a transgender athlete's participation in a sporting event and to cut off $3 billion in federal grant funding for Harvard University over its handling of anti-Israel protests. In his ruling, McConnell wrote that the immigration-enforcement condition on the funding 'is arbitrary and capricious in its scope and lacks specificity in how the States are to cooperate on immigration enforcement in exchange for Congressionally appropriated transportation dollars–grant money that the States rely on to keep their residents safely and efficiently on the road, in the sky, and on the rails.' CNN has reached out to the Department of Transportation for comment. Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wrote in a social media post that the department 'will NOT fund rogue state actors who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.' The lawsuit was brought by California, Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Maryland, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. California's Attorney General Rob Bonta praised the court's decision and criticized Trump for using funds 'as a bargaining chip.' 'It's immoral – and more importantly, illegal. I'm glad to see the District Court agrees, blocking the President's latest attempt to circumvent the Constitution and coerce state and local governments into doing his bidding while we continue to make our case in court,' Bonta said in a statement on Thursday.
UPI
14 hours ago
- Politics
- UPI
Judge stops Trump from tying DOT funds to immigration enforcement
Secretary of U.S. Department of Transportation Sean Duffy testifies at a House committee on May 14, 2025. On Thursday, a judge issued a preliminary injunction against his directive tying department grants to states' compliance with federal immigration enforcement policies. File Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI | License Photo June 20 (UPI) -- A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump's attempt to make federal transportation funding contingent on state compliance with his immigration policies. In his ruling Thursday, Chief U.S. District Judge John McConnell of Providence, R.I., said not only does the Department of Transportation lack the authority to tie grant funding to immigration enforcement, but the directive also usurps Congress' power of the purse while being "arbitrary and capricious." "Congress did not authorize or grant authority to the Secretary of Transportation to impose immigration enforcement conditions on federal dollars specifically appropriated for transportation purposes," the President Barack Obama appointee said in his brief ruling. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by 20 state attorneys general challenging an April 24 directive sent to all Department of Transportation funding receipts, stating they must comply with an Immigration Enforcement Condition when applying for future grants. The letter specifies that as recipients, they have "entered into legally enforceable agreements with the United States Government and are obligated to comply fully with all applicable Federal laws and regulations," particularly those relating to immigration enforcement and diversity, equity and inclusion policies. "Adherence to your legal obligations is a prerequisite for receipt of DOT financial assistance," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's letter states. "Noncompliance with applicable Federal laws, or failure to cooperate generally with Federal authorities in the enforcement of Federal law, will jeopardize your continued receipt of Federal financial assistance from DOT and could lead to a loss of Federal funding from DOT." The 20 Democrat-led states filed their lawsuit against the directive in May, arguing the Department of Transportation has no authority to tie grants to federal civil immigration enforcement, as the two are unrelated. In his ruling, McConnell agreed with the plaintiffs. "The IEC, backed by the Duffy Directive, is arbitrary and capricious in its scope and lacks specificity in how the States are to cooperate on immigration enforcement in exchange for Congressionally appropriated transportation dollars -- grant money that the States rely on to keep their residents safely and efficiently on the road, in the sky and on the rails," he said. "[T]he IEC is not at all reasonably related to the transportation funding program grants." California Attorney General Rob Bonta applauded the ruling while chastising Trump for "threatening to withhold critical transportation funds unless states agree to carry out his inhumane and illogical immigration agenda. "It's immoral -- and more importantly, illegal," the Democrat said. "I'm glad the District Court agrees, blocking the President's latest attempt to circumvent the Constitution and coerce state and local governments into doing his bidding while we continue to make our case in court." Since returning to the White House, Trump has led a crackdown on immigration, with many of his policies being challenged in court. Late Thursday, an appeals court handed Trump a victory in the battle, permitting California National Guard troops to remain deployed on Los Angeles streets amid protests against his immigration policies. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has vowed to continue to fight what he called "President Trump's authoritarian use of U.S. military soldiers."
Newsweek
a day ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Judge Strikes Down Trump Plan To Tie Funding to Immigration Enforcement
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A federal judge in Rhode Island on Thursday ruled against the Trump administration's plan to condition funding for transportation initiatives across the country on cooperation with immigration authorities, saying that the plan would violate the Constitution. Judge John J. McConnell Jr. in 10-page ruling addressed the "Duffy Directive," also known as the Immigration Enforcement Condition (IEC) which U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued in April. Duffy attempted to require transportation grant recipients cooperate with Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) deportation operations or lose out on funding from several subagencies. In response, 20 states sued the administration, seeking an immediate injunction against the directive, which McConnell Jr. granted. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks during a news conference on May 20, 2025 in Austin, Texas. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks during a news conference on May 20, 2025 in Austin, Texas."The IEC, backed by the Duffy Directive, is arbitrary and capricious in its scope and lacks specificity in how the States are to cooperate on immigration enforcement in exchange for Congressionally appropriated transportation dollars–grant money that the States rely on to keep their residents safely and efficiently on the road, in the sky, and on the rails," the judge wrote. He added that the conditions would violate the Spending Clause as well, as the IEC is "not at all reasonably related to the transportation funding program grants whose statutorily articulated purposes are for the maintenance and safety" of the various transit apparatuses across the country. The court issued its order quickly due to an impending June 20 deadline for applicants to file for certain grants, all of which would have included the Duffy Directive language. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pentagon to restore names of 7 more Army bases that honored Confederate generals
President Trump on Tuesday announced the Pentagon will restore the names of the seven remaining military installations formerly named after Confederate generals after two others had been reverted back earlier this year. 'For a little breaking news, we are also going to be restoring the names to Fort Picket, Fort Hood, Fort Gordon, Fort Rutger, Fort Poke and Fort AP Hill and Fort Robert E. Lee,' Trump told attendees at a Fort Bragg, N.C. celebration marking the Army's 250th anniversary. The bases are currently known as Fort Barfoot in Virginia, Fort Cazavos in Texas, Fort Eisenhower in Georgia, Fort Novosel in Alabama, Fort Johnson in Louisiana, Fort Walker in Virginia, and Fort Gregg-Adams, also in Virginia, respectively. 'It's no time to change,' Trump told the crowd. 'And I'm superstitious, you know? I like to keep it going, right?' The promise fulfills a campaign pledge by Trump, who vowed to revert bases back to their original names after a Congressionally mandated commission recommended new titles for nine military bases in 2022. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier this year ordered the names of two bases, Fort Liberty and Fort Moore, reverted back to Fort Bragg and Fort Benning. Hegseth brought back the original names but said they were being used to honor different individuals and not Confederate generals they were originally named for. In the case of Fort Bragg, it takes its title after Private First Class Roland Bragg, a decorated Army paratrooper who served in World War II, rather than Confederate general Braxton Bragg, who lost several costly Civil War battles before leaving the service to run a sugar plantation that used slaves. Hegseth ordered that change in February. Fort Benning, meanwhile, now pays tribute to Cpl. Fred G. Benning, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during World War I while serving with the U.S. Army in France. The base was originally named for Lt. Gen. Henry Benning, a Confederate general who opposed freeing slaves. The Pentagon chief made that change in March, removing the moniker meant to honor Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife Julie Moore, who committed their lives to the Army and helping military families – most famously through setting up survivor support networks and casualty notification teams still used to this day. The switch overs follow more than five years of political tug of war to rid military installations of names honoring Confederates, starting in late 2020 when the annual defense authorization bill first banned the Defense Department from naming assets after Confederate symbols. At the time, Trump, who was at the end of his first term, vetoed the defense legislation known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) partly over the base-renaming provision, but the veto was overridden by Congress. That was followed by the 2021 NDAA that mandated a commission to recommend new names for the nine military bases, with the installations officially receiving their new titles in ceremonies throughout 2023. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
10-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Pentagon to restore names of 7 more Army bases that honored Confederate generals
President Trump on Tuesday announced the Pentagon will restore the names of the seven remaining military installations formerly named after Confederate generals after two others had been reverted back earlier this year. 'For a little breaking news, we are also going to be restoring the names to Fort Picket, Fort Hood, Fort Gordon, Fort Rutger, Fort Poke and Fort AP Hill and Fort Robert E. Lee,' Trump told attendees at a Fort Bragg, N.C. celebration marking the Army's 250th anniversary. The bases are currently known as Fort Barfoot in Virginia, Fort Cazavos in Texas, Fort Eisenhower in Georgia, Fort Novosel in Alabama, Fort Johnson in Louisiana, Fort Walker in Virginia, and Fort Gregg-Adams, also in Virginia, respectively. 'It's no time to change,' Trump told the crowd. 'And I'm superstitious, you know? I like to keep it going, right?' The promise fulfills a campaign pledge by Trump, who vowed to revert bases back to their original names after a Congressionally mandated commission recommended new titles for nine military bases in 2022. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier this year ordered the names of two bases, Fort Liberty and Fort Moore, reverted back to Fort Bragg and Fort Benning. Hegseth brought back the original names but said they were being used to honor different individuals and not Confederate generals they were originally named for. In the case of Fort Bragg, it takes its title after Private First Class Roland Bragg, a decorated Army paratrooper who served in World War II, rather than Confederate general Braxton Bragg, who lost several costly Civil War battles before leaving the service to run a sugar plantation that used slaves. Hegseth ordered that change in February. Fort Benning, meanwhile, now pays tribute to Cpl. Fred G. Benning, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during World War I while serving with the U.S. Army in France. The base was originally named for Lt. Gen. Henry Benning, a Confederate general who opposed freeing slaves. The Pentagon chief made that change in March, removing the moniker meant to honor Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife Julie Moore, who committed their lives to the Army and helping military families – most famously through setting up survivor support networks and casualty notification teams still used to this day. The switch overs follow more than five years of political tug of war to rid military installations of names honoring Confederates, starting in late 2020 when the annual defense authorization bill first banned the Defense Department from naming assets after Confederate symbols. At the time, Trump, who was at the end of his first term, vetoed the defense legislation known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) partly over the base-renaming provision, but the veto was overridden by Congress. That was followed by the 2021 NDAA that mandated a commission to recommend new names for the nine military bases, with the installations officially receiving their new titles in ceremonies throughout 2023.
