Trump Admin Withholding FEMA Funds From ‘Sanctuary’ States Is Illegal, Federal Judge Rules

The judge ruled that the restrictions on funding are both ‘arbitrary and capricious,’ and violate the Constitution’s Spending Clause.

People walk past a FEMA sign following a press conference at the Altadena Disaster Recovery Center in Altadena, Calif., following the Eaton Fire burn on Jan. 30, 2025. Mario Tama/Getty Images

A U.S. District Court on Sept. 24 blocked the Trump administration’s policy of withholding emergency grant funds from so-called “sanctuary” jurisdictions that have been refusing to cooperate with federal immigration law enforcement.

The lawsuit, Illinois v. FEMA, is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island.