California Attorney General Rob Bonta has initiated legal action against the U.S. Departments of Transportation (DOT) and Homeland Security (DHS), challenging conditions imposed on grant funding related to immigration enforcement. The lawsuits, filed by a coalition of 20 states led by Bonta, argue that these conditions exceed the Trump Administration's legal authority and violate constitutional principles.
Bonta contends that the federal government is unlawfully coercing state and local governments into using resources for federal immigration enforcement by threatening to withhold crucial funds. "President Trump doesn’t have the authority to unlawfully coerce state and local governments into using their resources for federal immigration enforcement," said Bonta. He emphasized that these funds are essential for public safety, including infrastructure maintenance and emergency preparedness.
California annually receives over $15.7 billion in transportation grants from DOT, supporting roads, highways, railways, airways, and bridges across the state. These grants also include $5.7 billion for highway maintenance and $2 billion for urban and rural transit systems such as buses and subways.
In addition to transportation funding, California secures around $20 billion from DHS for counterterrorism efforts and disaster response initiatives. These grants are intended to enhance security measures without connections to civil immigration enforcement.
The lawsuits assert that Congress holds the power over federal spending decisions rather than the President. According to Bonta, "The Constitution is clear: Congress, not the President, decides how federal money is spent." The coalition seeks judicial intervention to prevent the imposition of immigration-enforcement conditions on DOT or DHS grants unless statutory authority permits it.
Joining Attorney General Bonta in this legal effort are attorneys general from Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Maryland, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon Vermont Washington Wisconsin