A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to reallocate Department of Homeland Security counterterrorism and security grants away from sanctuary states that do not cooperate with deportations. Democrat states can apparently create sanctuaries for illegal aliens, even criminal illegal aliens, and keep their federal funding.
The grants were from the Homeland Security Grant Program, which provides states and local governments with “critical resources to plan for and prevent natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and other emergencies,” N.Y. Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement.
U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy wrote in her ruling, which the DHS has indicated it will appeal, that the case marked “another example” of the administration tying federal grant funding to state and local government assistance with federal immigration enforcement.
A George W. Bush-appointed judge in September struck down a Trump administration policy of withholding funding from states unwilling to cooperate with ICE, after D.C. and 20 states sued the DHS and FEMA.
The states include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. The District of Columbia is included.
“Defendants’ wanton abuse of their role in federal grant administration is particularly troublesome given the fact that they have been entrusted with a most solemn duty: safeguarding our nation and its citizens,” wrote McElroy in the ruling in Rhode Island, which found the administration had violated the Administrative Procedure Act.
To “hold hostage funding” for programs that are designed to protect Americans, based solely on what appear to be Defendants’ political whims, is unconscionable and, at least here, unlawful,” McElroy added.
Actually, the administration is trying to establish law in the Democrat sanctuary cities and was hoping to use funding as leverage.
Any sanctuary jurisdiction that continues to put illegal aliens ahead of American citizens can either come to the table or see us in court.
Today @TheJusticeDept delivered demand letters to sanctuary cities, counties, and states — a key step in our strategic effort to eradicate… pic.twitter.com/aKWNCY4hJN
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) August 14, 2025
James said in her statement that the Trump administration’s “attempt to play politics” with funding that’s designed to keep people safe was illegal and put our state at risk, and the ruling would help in state officials’ efforts to protect residents from reckless funding cuts.”
The other side: “This judicial sabotage threatens the safety of our states, counties, towns, and weakens the entire nation,” DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to AP.
