Home Economy Government Neronha joins two more lawsuits against Trump administration

Neronha joins two more lawsuits against Trump administration

By

Christopher Allen

-

05/13/2025

Nerhona — R.I. ATTORNEY GENERAL Peter F. Neronha announced Tuesday he is joining a coalition of 20 attorneys general challenging the Trump administration's withholding of federal funds from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of Transportation. / COURTESY R.I. OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

PROVIDENCE – R.I. Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced Tuesday he is joining 20 other state attorneys general in two separate lawsuits filed in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island challenging the Trump administration for imposing unlawful conditions on billions of federal dollars appropriated by Congress to support emergency services and infrastructure projects. The

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PROVIDENCE – R.I. Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced Tuesday he is joining 20 other state attorneys general in two separate lawsuits filed in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island challenging the Trump administration for imposing unlawful conditions on billions of federal dollars appropriated by Congress to support emergency services and infrastructure projects. The lawsuits are being filed against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and the U.S. Department of Transportation and DOT Secretary Sean Duffy, claiming the agencies have imposed new conditions that would require states and state agencies to assist with federal immigration enforcement efforts. “We are experiencing creeping authoritarianism in this country, and as a people we must continue to resist,” said Neronha, noting this is the sixth lawsuit filed against Trump in federal court. “Using the safety of Americans as collateral, the Trump administration is once again illegally subverting the Congress, bullying the states to relinquish their right, ensured by the Constitution, to enact policies and laws that best serve their residents," he said. In February, Noem directed DHS and its sub-agencies to cease federal funding to jurisdictions “that do not assist the federal government in the enforcement of federal immigration law,” according to a press release from Neronha's office. The following month, DHS amended the terms and conditions placed on federal funds “to require recipients to certify that they will assist in enforcing federal immigration law.” The dozens of federal grant programs administered by DHS and DOT are meant for disaster relief, flood mitigation, railroad, bridge and airport construction. The coalition said state grant applicants have seen similar immigration-enforcement language added in recent weeks to the terms and conditions governing grants administered by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, Federal Railroad Administration and the Federal Transit Administration. The lawsuits argue that the immigration conditions exceed legal authority and are unconstitutional. Federal emergency preparedness and response funds to Rhode Island totaled more than $45 million in 2024. Neronha said up to $628 million in competitive federal grant awards and hundreds of millions more in FHWA funding allocations are at risk. There have now been 22 legal actions brought against the Trump administration. “By threatening to withhold these congressionally allocated funds, used for projects like fixing highways and preparing for natural disasters, the President is willing to put our collective safety at risk,” said Neronha. Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com.