Judge Blocks Tie-in of Disaster Aid, Immigration | JQJO

A Rhode Island federal judge ruled that requiring states to cooperate with immigration enforcement for disaster relief funding is unconstitutional. A coalition of 20 Democratic state attorneys general sued, arguing the Trump administration's threat to withhold billions in disaster relief funds unless states agreed to specific immigration enforcement actions was coercive and arbitrary. Judge William Smith granted summary judgment to the plaintiffs, stating the conditions were unconstitutional and violated the Administrative Procedure Act. The judge's ruling permanently enjoins the administration from imposing such conditions on federal funding for emergency services. The government argued the challenge was moot, but the court rejected this claim.