Denver sues Trump administration over threat to cut transportation funding
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Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. Photo: Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post
Denver is suing the Trump administration over its threat to withhold up to $600 million in federal transportation funds if the city fails to comply with U.S. immigration enforcement and DEI initiatives.
State of play: Denver joined dozens of other cities and counties — including Chicago, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Portland and San Francisco — in the lawsuit filed this week in U.S. District Court.
- The suit revolves around a memo from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued last month.
- The city alleges the administration's threats to withhold "taxpayer dollars if they do not align with the Trump Administration's stance on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs or assist in the enforcement of federal immigration policy" are "unlawful and unconstitutional," per a statement.
Why it matters: The city says it could not support the "critical needs" of the city if it loses funding or the ability to apply for new grants.
- This is the second time in as many weeks that Denver is using the courts to challenge Trump's policies to ensure federal funding — a critical source of dollars after Mayor Mike Johnston revealed a $250 million budget crisis.
Zoom out: Denver joined Chicago and Pima County, Arizona, in a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its move to revoke FEMA funding, the city announced last week.
What they're saying: "The Trump Administration is willfully breaking the law and, in ignoring the separation of powers between Congress and the White House, violating the bedrock constitutional foundation on which our country was built," Johnston said, per the Friday release.
- The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The intrigue: DIA — the state's largest economic driver — also receives "significant" federal support from grants approved by Congress and distributed by the Federal Aviation Administration, with $310 million earmarked for the 2022-2024 fiscal year.
- The airport would be eligible for an additional approximately $267 million in FAA grants for 2025-2028, per the city's statement.