NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to restore funding for a major rail tunnel project connecting New York and New Jersey, issuing the ruling just as construction was about to shut down.
U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas, based in Manhattan, approved a request from New York and New Jersey for a temporary restraining order that blocks the administration from withholding funds while the states pursue a preliminary injunction. The injunction, if granted, would keep federal money flowing as the lawsuit proceeds.
The administration had announced months earlier that it was halting roughly $16 billion in support for the project, citing the federal government shutdown at the time and concerns raised by a top budget official about what were described as unconstitutional spending tied to diversity, equity and inclusion principles.
In her ruling, Vargas said the states demonstrated they would face serious and lasting consequences if the funding were cut off.
“The Court is also persuaded that Plaintiffs would suffer irreparable harm in the absence of an injunction,” she wrote. “Plaintiffs have adequately shown that the public interest would be harmed by a delay in a critical infrastructure project.”
The White House and the U.S. Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday night.
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