A federal judge has ruled in favor of the city of Philadelphia in attempts by the Trump administration to withhold federal funds from the city over how it deals with undocumented immigrants.
U.S. District Judge Michael Baylson ruled Wednesday that the city’s policy to defy the administration’s demand was “reasonable, rational” and “equitable.” He ruled that the Trump administration’s attempt to enforce new conditions before releasing law enforcement grants was “arbitrary and capricious.”
Philadelphia had agreed to hand over undocumented immigrants to officers of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency only when provided with a warrant signed by a judge.
The city had refused to comply with Washington’s demands of unfettered access to imprisoned immigrants, being notified of their release dates and prohibiting restrictions on disclosure of anyone’s immigration status.
“The public statements of President (Donald) Trump and Attorney General (Jeff) Sessions, asserting that immigrants commit more crimes than native-born citizens, are inaccurate as applied to Philadelphia, and do not justify the imposition of these three conditions,” Baylson wrote.
Sessions has vowed to use law enforcement grants to force cities to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
Department of Justice spokesman Devin O'Malley said the agency is within its right to attach conditions to the public safety grants.
“Today's opinion from the district court in Philadelphia is a victory for criminal aliens in Philadelphia, who can continue to commit crimes in the city knowing that its leadership will protect them from federal immigration officers whose job it is to hold them accountable and remove them from the country,” O'Malley said in a statement.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney called the ruling a “total and complete victory.”
