Attorney General Nessel Secures Order Permanently Blocking Unlawful Conditions on Federal Transportation Funding

LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, along with a coalition of 19 attorneys general, has secured an order (PDF) permanently blocking the Trump Administration from illegally coercing states into sweeping immigration enforcement by threatening to withhold billions in federal transportation funding. Following the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island’s earlier preliminary injunction issued in May, the Court has now granted the coalition’s motion for summary judgment, declaring the Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) immigration cooperation requirement unlawful, vacating the term from all USDOT grant agreements and permanently enjoining the Department from enforcing or implementing it.   

“I am relieved that the Court has once again ruled that the Trump Administration cannot illegally threaten states by withholding critical transportation funding,” Nessel said. “With this order, Michigan can now focus on maintaining and improving infrastructure without unlawful conditions. I will continue to defend the resources that our communities count on.”  

The coalition initially filed a lawsuit in May after the Administration imposed the new conditions requiring state agencies to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts or risk losing crucial funds used to maintain and protect transportation infrastructure.  

Joining Attorney General Nessel in securing this injunction are the attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.