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5/16/2025
A coalition of 20 state attorneys general this week sued the U.S. Department of Transportation for requiring state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement in order to receive billions of dollars in transportation funding.
On April 24, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that USDOT would cut off funding to any state that refuses to comply with the administration’s immigration agenda, a directive that threatens essential infrastructure projects nationwide, according to a press release issued by New York Attorney General Letitia James' office.
James and the coalition argue that the administration’s attempt to tie federal transportation funds to immigration enforcement violates the constitutional separation of powers. The attorneys general are asking the court to block what they say is an unlawful attempt to coerce states into carrying out President Donald Trump's agenda in exchange for funds allocated by Congress.
In addition to New York, the other plaintiff states are California, Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Maryland, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
“DOT’s blatant overreach threatens to divert critical resources away from public safety and undermine projects that keep our communities connected and safe. We won’t allow the federal government to hold essential funding hostage to advance a political agenda," James said.
The lawsuit can be read here.