A United States district court judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order that withholds federal funds from so-called sanctuary cities, the Associated Press reports. Although there is no legal definition of a “sanctuary city” they’re often understood to be jurisdictions in which local law enforcement may not cooperate with federal authorities on matters such as naming the immigration status of prisoners in their custody. Judge William Orrick’s block will remain in place as long as a lawsuit, brought against the Department of Justice by the city of San Francisco and Santa Clara County of California, is ongoing.
San Francisco originally sued the Trump administration in January, arguing that the executive order violated states’ rights.
Orrick’s ruling comes just days after the White House sent letters to nine “sanctuary city” jurisdictions, asking for evidence that local law enforcement officers are cooperating with federal immigration officials and threatening certain federal grants, otherwise.
