Judge Gorton Denies Sanctuary Cities Request to Block Federal Funding Cuts

U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton denied a motion for a preliminary injunction filed by the Massachusetts cities of Chelsea and Somerville, ruling in favor of the federal government. The decision allows President Donald Trump to proceed with blocking specific Department of Justice grants to jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the enforcement of federal immigration law.

The cities had filed a lawsuit arguing that the executive orders would cause irreparable harm. Judge Gorton concluded that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate that such harm was likely, noting that the burden remained on the cities to show why injunctive relief was necessary.

Dale Wilcox of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which supported the government's position in a filed brief, stated that the ruling prevents cities from using the legal system to maintain federal funding while continuing to break the law.