DOJ asks judge to reassess after sanctuary city update: report

Citing a new memo from the attorney general, the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday asked a federal judge to reassess a previous ruling that blocks President Trump’s order taking away federal funding from so-called sanctuary cities, Reuters reported Monday.

Judge William Orrick, a district judge in San Francisco, issued the injunction against the president’s order late last month.

But the DOJ, according to a court filing obtained by the news service, argued that new legal guidance set forth by Attorney General Jeff Sessions disputed the reasons Orrick gave for issuing the injunction.

In a Monday memo detailing the legal definition for “sanctuary jurisdictions,” Sessions said areas that match his definition will be ineligible to receive grants from the Departments of Justice or Homeland Security.

Orrick had originally challenged the executive order by saying cities that were under threat of being defunded could face “immediate irreparable harm.” 

Following the ruling, Sessions had vowed to continue to litigate the case, saying Trump’s executive actions fell “squarely within the powers of the President.”

As part of his immigration agenda, Trump repeatedly promised on the campaign to cut funds from sanctuary cities.