New York Attorney General Letitia James, along with 19 other attorneys general, has initiated legal action against the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The lawsuit challenges DOT's recent decision to condition transportation funding on state compliance with federal immigration enforcement policies. This move by DOT was announced by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on April 24 and threatens to withdraw funding from states that do not adhere to the administration’s immigration agenda.
Attorney General James expressed concerns over this directive, stating, “Once again, the administration is attempting to seize Congress’ power of the purse – this time at the expense of immigrant communities and vital infrastructure projects.” She emphasized that DOT’s conditions could divert crucial resources away from public safety initiatives and undermine important infrastructure projects.
The coalition argues that for over a century, Congress has allocated federal funds for transportation without attaching immigration enforcement conditions. They claim that DOT's current directive unlawfully coerces states into implementing federal immigration laws in exchange for essential funding meant for infrastructure development.
The lawsuit highlights several critical programs at risk due to this mandate, including the Federal-Aid Highway Program and various grant programs under different federal agencies like the Federal Transit Administration and Federal Railroad Administration. These programs collectively receive more than $100 billion annually to support highway maintenance, public transit systems, rail safety upgrades, and airport improvements across the nation.
The attorneys general warn that withholding these funds would force states to scale back or terminate vital projects designed to prevent traffic accidents and improve transportation safety measures. Recent aviation incidents underscore their argument for maintaining robust funding; these include a mid-air collision involving an American Airlines plane in January 2025 which resulted in significant casualties.
James noted that New York alone receives over $5 billion annually in DOT funding necessary for highways, public transportation, rail improvements, highway safety, and airport enhancements. She argued that imposing such conditions jeopardizes trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement while undermining public safety efforts.
Joining New York in this legal challenge are attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Nevada New Jersey New Mexico Oregon Rhode Island Washington Wisconsin Vermont. They collectively seek a court injunction preventing DOT from enforcing these new conditions so federally allocated funds can continue supporting infrastructure as originally intended by Congress.