IMMIGRATION/JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/NEW YORK/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “New York and five other states filed a lawsuit on Wednesday [7-18-18] seeking to block the Trump administration from making cooperation with federal immigration authorities a condition for receiving millions of dollars in federal funding for law enforcement. The lawsuit, brought by New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Virginia and Washington, claimed that the U.S. Department of Justice had no legal authority to impose the condition. New York City filed a similar lawsuit on Wednesday. Both lawsuits were filed in Manhattan federal court…Wednesday’s lawsuits concern the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants, which provide federal funds for state and local law enforcement. They are the latest in a number of legal battles over President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, which have included separating children and parents crossing the Mexican border illegally…The administration said last year that to receive funding, state and local governments must give federal immigration authorities access to their jails and advance notice of immigrants’ release from custody. The six states, which received grants totaling $25 million in the last fiscal year, said they were given an Aug. 10 deadline to decide whether to accept funds with conditions. New York City said it was entitled to $4 million but that the Justice Department has refused to release it.”
–Brendan Pierson, “States sue U.S. over policy tying funds to immigration compliance,” Reuters, July 18, 2018 10:46 am