The U.S. Department of Justice has moved to dismiss its appeal of a court order that blocked the Trump Administration from imposing immigration enforcement requirements on federal transportation grants. The decision comes after a legal challenge brought by Vermont and 21 other states.
Attorney General Charity Clark stated, “By dropping its appeal, the Trump Administration concedes the case, fully resolving it in favor of Vermont and the 21 other states that sued the Administration.”
Vermont relies on federal Department of Transportation grants for infrastructure projects such as roads, highways, airways, and bridges. These funds are also used for public safety initiatives like preventing traffic accidents and supporting transit services for seniors and people with disabilities. The grant criteria do not relate to immigration enforcement.
Attorney General Clark emphasized that Congress is responsible for deciding how federal money is spent, noting that these transportation funds are generally provided through taxes paid by states like Vermont. She argued that the Trump Administration’s attempt to add conditions related to immigration enforcement overstepped executive authority and violated constitutional principles regarding federal funding.
On November 4, 2025, a district court ruled in favor of Vermont and other plaintiff states. The court found that the administration had exceeded its statutory authority and violated established limits on federal funding conditions. In its decision, the court stated: “The Trump Administration has ‘blatantly overstepped their statutory authority, violated the APA, and transgressed well-settled constitutional limitations on federal funding conditions. The Constitutions demands the Court set aside this lawless behavior.’”
A copy of the motion to dismiss can be found on the Attorney General’s website.
