Search â–¸ Agenda item attachment
A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a federal update including an update on relevant court cases
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CITY OF CAMBRIDGE
OFFICE OF THE CITY SOLICITOR
Lawsuits Challenging Federal Actions that Involve the City, or are of Special Interest to the City - August 4, 2025 Update
Lawsuit Name
Case No. / Case
Citation
Summary of Lawsuit
Status
King County v.
Turner
25-cv-00814
(W.D. Wash.)
The City of Cambridge is a plaintiff in this case.
Plaintiffs sued Secretary of Transportation and HUD for imposing conditions on
grants to local governments, including HUD Continuum of Care and DOT grants.
The conditions include prohibitions on DEI, "gender ideology," "elective
abortions," and aid to immigrants. The imposed conditions threaten over $4 billion
dollars in federal funding. Local governments argue that in imposing conditions on
grants, the federal government violates the separation of powers, Spending
Clause, the Tenth Amendment, the Due Process Clause (Vagueness), and the
Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
Preliminary Injunction entered in favor of local governments on June 3, 2025. The Preliminary
Injunction Order has allowed the City to enter into grant agreements with HUD for the Continuum of
Care grant funds. Federal government appealed. Appeal pending.
Additionally, the Plaintiffs have filed a second Motion for Preliminary Injunction asking the Court to
order that the conditions do not apply to additional grants, such as CDBG grants. The Court has not
issued a decision yet.
San Francisco v.
Trump
25-cv- 01350
(N.D. Cal.)
The City of Cambridge is seeking to be added as a plaintiff in this case.
Lawsuit to enjoin enforcement of President Trump’s initial Sanctuary Jurisdiction
Executive Order (EO). Plaintiffs argue the EO violates the Tenth Amendment,
Separation of Powers, Spending Clause, and Due Process Clause.
Preliminary Injunction entered in favor of local governments, ordering that the Federal Government
cannot enforce the Sanctuary Jurisdiction EO. Federal Government Appealed. Appeal pending.
Plaintiffs asked the Court to amend the Complaint to add new parties, including Cambridge, and to
challenge the second Sanctuary Jurisdiction EO. Plaintiffs also filed a second Motion for Preliminary
Injunction asking the Court to prevent the Federal Government from enforcing both Sanctuary
Jurisdiction EOs against all of the Plaintiffs and prospective Plaintiffs, including Cambridge.
California v.
United States
DOT
25-cv-00208
(D.R.I.)
An order in this case applies to the City of Cambridge.
States challenge an April 24, 2025, letter issued by Secretary Duffy, requiring
recipients of DOT grants to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. The
letter does not define what constitutes “cooperation.” States allege that the
conditions are beyond DOT’s authority.
Preliminary Injunction entered on June 19, 2025, which protects funding for the 20 states that brought the
suit, including Massachusetts, and the local governments in those states, including Cambridge.
State of New
York v. U.S.
Department of
Justice
25-cv-00345
(D.R.I.)
An order in this case applies to the City of Cambridge.
States challenged the revocation of various exemptions under the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA).
PRWORA is part of the federal welfare system and governs the eligibility of
noncitizens for Federal, State, and local public benefits. Several federal agencies
issued new requirements requiring recipients of federal funding to be checked for
immigration status. This has meant that many undocumented immigrants who
previously had access to certain federal benefits under the agency exemptions
are no longer exempted. This also means that states administering federal benefit
programs are now required to implement verification schemes to verify the status
of benefit recipients, even if the programs previously did not require such
verification.
Federal government has agreed to pause enforcing these new rules against the Plaintiff states and the
subdivisions. Since Massachusetts is a plaintiff, this applies to Cambridge. The Plaintiffs have filed a Motion
for Preliminary Injunction.
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Lawsuit Name
Case No. / Case
Citation
Summary of Lawsuit
Status
Newsom v. Trump 25-3727
(9th Circuit);
25-CV-04870
(N.D. CA)
The City of Cambridge joined an amicus brief in this case.
California seeks order prohibiting the Department of Defense from federalizing the
CA National Guard and deploying it to conduct domestic law enforcement without
meeting statutory requirements.
U.S. District Court ruled that federal deployment of CA National Guard was illegal and violated the 10th
amendment. On June 19, 2025, the Ninth Circuit stayed the lower court order pending appeal.
Commonwealth of
MA v. National
Institutes of
Health, et al, and
other associated
cases
25-1343 (1st Cir.);
25-cv-10338
(D. Mass.)
The City of Cambridge joined an amicus brief in this case.
MA argues that cap of 15% reimbursement for all new grants, regardless of the
indirect cost needs of the institution, violates the Administrative Procedure Act.
U.S. District Court issued a final judgment enjoining federal government’s 15% cap on
reimbursement for all new grants. Federal government appealed. Appeal pending.
President and
Fellows of Harvard
College v. DHS, et
al.
25-cv-11472
(D. Mass.)
The City of Cambridge intends to file an amicus brief in this case.
Harvard contests federal government’s revocation of Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign
students and otherwise prevent foreign students from enrolling at Harvard.
U.S. District Court entered order enjoining federal government from “implementing, instituting,
maintaining, or giving any force or effect” to the federal government’s revocation of Harvard’s ability to
enroll foreign students. Court likewise enjoined presidential proclamation barring foreign students destined
for Harvard. Federal government appealed. Appeal pending.
President and
Fellows of Harvard
College v. HHS, et
al.
25-cv-11048
(D. Mass.)
Harvard case.
Harvard contests federal government’s withdrawal of federal funding. Harvard argues
that the federal government did not take necessary steps to cancel federal funds.
After oral argument matter currently under advisement.
United States v.
Illinois, Cook
County, &
Chicago
25-cv-01285
(N.D. Ill.)
Case concerns a similar Welcoming Community Ordinance.
Federal government sued Illinois, Cook County, and Chicago seeking declaratory
and injunctive relief holding that sanctuary policies violate the Supremacy Clause.
On July 25th, the District Court dismissed the case and upheld the sanctuary policies, including
Chicago’s Welcoming Community Ordinance. Local government decisions not to participate in
immigration enforcement are protected by the Tenth Amendment and not preempted by federal law.
The federal government may amend its complaint by August 22, 2025.
City of Chicago v.
United States
Department of
Homeland
Security
25-cv-05462
(N.D. Ill.)
The City of Boston is a plaintiff in this case.
Lawsuit seeks to enjoin federal government from freezing funding under the
Securing Cities counterterrorism program (STC) and to require the federal
government to process pending and future reimbursement requests pursuant to
law. The complaint alleges that DHS is violating the separation of powers, that its
actions are ultra vires, and that it is violating the APA.
No significant Court orders in this case.
City of Chelsea v.
Trump
25-cv-10442
(D. Mass.)
The Cities of Chelsa and Somerville are plaintiffs in this case.
Lawsuit challenges Protecting the American People from Invasion EO and other
executive actions related to withholding of federal funds based on immigration
policy. The plaintiffs seek to enjoin the federal government from withholding
federal funds based on sanctuary policies.
Somerville and Chelsea filed a Motion for Preliminary Injunction and a hearing was held on July 18,
2025.
Vasquez-
Perdomo v. Noem
25-4312
(9th Cir.);
2:25-cv-05605-
MEMF-SP
The City of Boston has filed an amicus brief in this case.
Lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order to enjoin ICE and CBP from engaging
in unconstitutional and unlawful stops of Los Angeles residents during
immigration sweeps. Plaintiffs allege ICE and CBP have a policy and practice of
engaging in unconstitutional stops not based on reasonable, individualized
suspicion of unlawful presence, but instead based on racial profiling.
Lower Court granted temporary restraining order on unlawful stops and access to counsel.in favor of
plaintiffs. Appeal pending.