Seattle judge blocks Trump administration’s new federal grant conditions

Seattle Judge Barbara Rothstein Chambers has issued a temporary restraining order, blocking the Trump administration’s recently imposed federal funding conditions.

“King County is pleased that Judge Rothstein has granted a temporary restraining order recognizing the urgent nature of our court filing, which questions the lawfulness of the administration’s actions,” King County Executive Shannon Braddock said via a news release. “Today’s ruling is a positive first step in our challenge to federal overreach. We will continue to stand up against unlawful actions to protect our residents and the services they rely on. With this order, we can move forward with federal grant agreements and ensure critical projects and programming continue uninterrupted.”

According to the executive, the court will now consider King County’s motion for a preliminary injunction.

King County joins 7 jurisdictions in lawsuit against Trump admin.

King County joined seven other jurisdictions in a lawsuit against the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) after more conditions were added in order to grant funding to local governments.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington Friday. Two other Washington counties, Pierce and Snohomish, are a part of the suit, alongside San Francisco and Santa Clara in California, Columbus in Ohio, and Boston and New York City.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 21 that prevents federal grant money from being used for DEI programs. Trump has repeatedly used the threat of pulling federal funds from local governments in order for them to comply with social issues, like eliminating DEI.

Following Trump’s executive order, HUD attached new conditions to its funding: Projects assisted with grant funding have to follow all current executive orders. Specifically, HUD stated local governments cannot use grant funding to promote illegal immigration policies that shield illegal immigrants from deportation.

King County believes these conditions are unlawful

According to a release from the King County Executive’s office, the suit “challenges the Trump administration’s addition of unlawful conditions in order to receive federal funding for public transit and homelessness assistance, putting at risk critical services for residents.”

“I have a duty to fully enforce the law and protect these important services for our residents,” King County Executive Shannon Braddock said in a prepared statement. “That’s why we are joining other jurisdictions from around the country to ensure the administration can’t disregard congressionally approved processes and bully local governments to comply with their political agenda at the expense of being able to deliver critical services.”

The suit claims the new requirements violate federal law and would force local governments to make promises that conflict with local laws.

HUD has previously granted $67 million to King County, $16.7 million to Snohomish County, and $4.9 million to Pierce County. This money is used to support and create housing, shelter beds, and services for the county’s homeless population.

FTA gives King County more than $446 million in grant funding for its transit services and any improvements.

KIRO Newsradio and MyNorthwest.com have reached out to HUD and FTA for comment.

This story was originally published on May 6, 2025. It has been updated and republished since then.

Contributing: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest

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