A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that the Trump administration cannot withhold grants to the city of Philadelphia for its policies on undocumented immigrants.
U.S. District Judge Michael Baylson wrote in a 93-page memo that the administration’s treatment of the situation is unconstitutional, “arbitrary and capricious,” and said that Philadelphia’s policies are appropriate and reasonable.
The ruling prompted Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, who this week called President Trump a “fragile egomaniac” after the Philadelphia Eagles got disinvited from a White House celebration, to break into a song and dance, according to the local NBC-affiliate.
In its response, the Department of Justice said it found the ruling to be 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.”
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in July that any city or state receiving public safety grants must give U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement a 48-hour notice of any scheduled release of so-called prisoners of interest so that immigration officials have the opportunity to interview them while in custody. Philadelphia responded that it can not turn over immigrants to ICE without a warrant signed by a judge since it is a “sanctuary city.”
