Sanctuary-jurisdiction funding conditions

Status: Blocked by court — City and County of San Francisco v. Trump (N.D. Cal. No. 3:25-cv-01350 (Judge William H. Orrick); preliminary injunction on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit)

Preliminary injunction in effect (blocking the funding cuts); administration's appeal argued at the Ninth Circuit Dec 5, 2025, no decision yet

Next step: Ninth Circuit ruling on the administration's appeal of the preliminary injunction (argued Dec 5, 2025; no decision as of 2026-06-26)

Verified against the primary source as of 2026-07-25 — status can change with a single court ruling. Official source.

What’s happening

Preliminary injunction in effect (blocking the funding cuts); administration’s appeal argued at the Ninth Circuit Dec 5, 2025, no decision yet

Who it affects

Affects residents of “sanctuary” cities and counties — local governments that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The case concerns whether the federal government may withhold or condition federal grant funds (public-safety, health, social-service, and transportation dollars) on those jurisdictions abandoning their sanctuary policies; the court’s injunction currently keeps that funding flowing. A related companion case before the same judge protects FEMA/DHS disaster-preparedness grants to the same kinds of jurisdictions.

How it got here

  1. Feb 7, 2025 San Francisco, Santa Clara County and allied jurisdictions file suit challenging the EO 14159 directive to withhold federal funds from sanctuary jurisdictions.
  2. Apr 24, 2025 Judge Orrick grants the first preliminary injunction (summary order), finding plaintiffs likely to succeed on APA / separation-of-powers / Spending Clause grounds.
  3. Aug 22, 2025 Judge Orrick expands the preliminary injunction to cover 34 cities and counties, enjoining EO 14159 section 17 and AG Bondi's Aug 13, 2025 fund-rescission letter as an unconstitutional coercive threat.
  4. Dec 5, 2025 Ninth Circuit panel hears oral argument on the administration's appeal of the preliminary injunction.
  5. Dec 1, 2025 Related companion case (County of Santa Clara v. Noem, N.D. Cal. 3:25-cv-8330): Judge Orrick enjoins DHS/FEMA from conditioning $350M+ in disaster-preparedness funds on immigration cooperation and dropping DEI programs.

What to watch next

Ninth Circuit ruling on the administration’s appeal of the preliminary injunction (argued Dec 5, 2025; no decision as of 2026-06-26)

Official sources

This page is general information about ongoing litigation, not legal advice. A case’s status can change with a single ruling, and outcomes can turn on facts specific to each person. For advice on a specific situation, consult a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative.